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C. VON CULIN. 


11896, 


Copyright, 1896 by C. Von Cuiin. 

















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PREFACE. 

This little book is intended to help all who 
ride a wheel, to instruct the beginner how 
to ride, care for and repair the wheel. 

The dealer and repairman will find many 
useful tools, appliances and methods; the 
greater number being furnished by Wheel 
Talk, published by Morgan & Wrieht. 

While this book is intended for the ri ’ r, 
dealer and repairman, it is also a great be* e- 
fit to the manufacturers of both wheels and 
tires. By the proper care the rider saves his 
wheel, also the manufacturers the expense 
of the many free repairs, while the simp 
methods of repairs save the rider the incoi 
venience of waiting from four to six weeks 
for his wheel to be returned. 

The need of such a book and the en¬ 
couragement received from many manu¬ 
facturers causes its birth. 

0. YON CULIJjV 







PARTS OF THE BICYCLE. 


£ 



A, front fork; B, lower head cone; O, top collar and screws 
D, top collar cone; E, saddle; F, saddle post; G. saddle clamp 
and bolt; H, post clamp bolt; 1, front wheel hub, axle, cones 
and nuts; J, rear wheel hub, axle, cones and nuts; K,chain 
adjustment, ring, plate and nuts; L, rear sprocket; M, front 
sprocket; N. chain; O, pedal; F, crank; Q, crank axle,cones, 
bushings, nuts, and lock nuts; R, handle bars; S, handle bar 
grip; T, pedal axle, cone and nut; U, spoke; V nipple; YV, 
c. s. oil cup; X, crank key and nut; Y, rim; Z, tire. 

NOTICE TO MANUFACTURERS. 

All future editions will be 50,000 copies. 
Advertising space should be engaged as 
early as possible for next edition, as only a 
limited number will be taken, to print six or 
eight more pages than the regular forms 
would cost more than I ask for the space. 

rite for prices. You do not pay for adver¬ 
tisement until you receive copy of book con¬ 
taining advertisement. 


Repairmen and Wheelmen. 

Will be pleased to receive, sketches, photos, 
etc., of any appliances, tools etc., also, items 
of interest for future edition of this book. 


Manufacturers, Dealers and Agents, write for whole- 
sale prices. 

C. VON CULIN. 
















The Care. 

HE care of a bicycle is of greater 
importance than most persons 
think, the bicycle carries a great¬ 
er weight with safety and stands 
more rough usage than any other 
vehicle made for its weight, 
because it is made of finer mater¬ 
ial and workmanship than other 
vehicles, does not mean that it needs no care, 
being a valuable article it is all the more 
important that it has the proper care. Keep¬ 
ing the nickel parts bright and enameled 
parts clean is all right but it is far from all 
that is necessary if you want an easy running 
wheel and one that will last well and not 
have t o return t o manufacturer o r 
dealer the first three" months. Even if the 
manufacturer will put in order free, because 
you did not know how to care for it, there is 
the inconvenience of waiting for its return 
[often from four to six weeks], you have the 
expense both ways, and then you have not 
as good a wheel as you would have had if 
properly cared for. 

The rider should know when a wheel is 
properly adjusted, this will save much trouble 
and it will not be so apt to get out of order. 
What is meant by out of order is not broken 
or will not run, but when any one or more 
parts are not exactly right. If it does get 
out of order you will be better able to know 
what is the matter, and by refering to this 
book you will find explanations which will 
tell you what to do to find the trouble if you 
do not know, and how 1 to remedy it after you 
find it. - 

The illustrations show many ways to repair 
all parts of the Bicycle, use the one which is 
the most convenient for you. 

Learning to Ride. 

Any person who has the use of his limbs 
can learn to ride. In learning you must not 







forget to care for yonr wheel. When possible 
hire or borrow an old wheel for first few days, 
that will be taking good care of YOUR wheel. 

Set the seat about two inches lower than 
you can reach the pedal with your heel, 
when pedal is down. 

Set handle bars three or four inches higher 
than seat, and see that they are screwed tight. 

Secure pants legs and you are ready. Grasp 
handles lightly, do not try to squeeze them 
as you would a lemon. 

Straddle wheel, with left foot on step, push 
wheel ahead of you a few timeshopping along 
on your right foot. Increase the length of 
your steps or hops until you can ride with all 
your weight on step, letting your right foot 
hang so as to catch you when you are about 
to fall, in short: learn to ride on step first, 
practice at first on down grade if possible, 
[but not steep] pushing your wheel up grade. 
You will notice that you must always turn 
the wheel in the direction you are going to 
fall, put on speed and your wheel will come 
up again and as you come up straighten your 
course. After having control of the wheel 
on the step, gently slip into the saddle. Do 
not be in a hurry, take it easy, and you will 
learn by this method in one hour. 

Another plan is to lower the saddle so your 
toes can reach the ground on both sides, by 
this plan old, delicate or very stout persons 
cannot fall to hurt themselves. 

After you think you have learned to ride 
you have more to learn, such as riding with 
ease and comfort, leg aud ankle motion, 
position of hands and arms, body motion 
without it being perceptible, not with a hop 
and a jump with every push. 

To ride properly you must learn to balance A 
the wheel, by the body. To run a straight 
course or to keep in a path the body must do 
the balancing by keeping the wheel plumb. 








Riding a Wheel. 

A wheelman scorching along with nose to 
the handle bar is not exemplifying the 
highest use of the wheel. The beauties of 
the country are not his. The green grass, 
wild flowers, the old spreading shade trees 
that may hedge his path, the half hidden 
brook and the grazing flocks that round out 
the beautiful aspect of the country in the 
summer are all unheeded. He sees but a dusty 
track, which he follows, and his trip is a bare 
record of miles. 

The proper position fora bicycle rider is, in 
the first place, an upright one. He should 
push nearly straight downward with his legs— 
not backward, as one must do who leans far 
forward. His arms should not be rigid and 
extended to their full length, but a little bent, 
and the handles can be easily adjusted to bring 
this about. The reason for the bent or slight¬ 
ly bent arm is evident after a moment’s 
thought. If the arm is stiff, rigid and extend¬ 
ed to its full length there is no life in it. 
Each jar to the machine is a jar to your body, 
your head and neck, and consequently a jar 
to your whole system. On the other hand, if 
you ride with your arms a little bent, and 
acting as a kind of a buffer to all jarring influ¬ 
ences, they will save you an injurious, though 
unnoticeable, shaking up each time you go 
out. The only way in which you will notice 
a change will be after you have become accus¬ 
tomed to the bent arm method, Then you 
will find you can ride longer without becoming 
tired. 

Another feature of this stiff arm is the 
position into which the shoulders are thrust. 
Try it; grow a little tired with a long ride and 
see where your shoulders are. You have 
gradually come to lean on your arms for rest. 
Both shoulders have been thrown back; your 
head and neck are stretched far forward, and 
your chest has, so to speak, sagged forward 


out of its natural position. The weight of 
your body should not come on the hands and 
arms except for an occasional change, head 
winds, up hills and scorching or racing, but on 
your thighs, and thence be transferred to the 
seat, which in a measure allows some of the 
weight to come on the pedals. In this posi¬ 
tion your hands are free to guide your wheel, 
your body is erect; yon do not then get into 
the habit of swaying from side to side to put 
your weight first on one side and then on the 
other; and your whole muscular movement is 
regular and normal. Try riding without 
putting either hand on the handles and 
sitting erect. If you ride well, you can easily 
keep your balance, and in an instant you 
will be in the correct position. Once in this 
position, place the hands lightly on the 
handle bars, and you will be in a healthy, a 
proper situation to gain benefit from your 
riding. 

Light Wheels. 

The lightest wheel is not always the fastest. 
Lack of rigidity will often tend to decrease 
the speed of a machine far more than the 
addition of a few pounds to its weight. 
Only machines of the highest grade can with 
safety be made very light, and even then a 
very light machine is only to be recommended 
to a careful and expert rider who will nurse 
it over rough roads and bad ones. Light 
wheels, even though they may not break 
down in one season’s riding, will not last so 
long as heavier ones of the same quality, and 
are more easily damaged by falls. The mini¬ 
mum weight which can be safely ridden 
depends upon the character of the roads 
upon whichit is to be used, as well as upon the 
the weight and skill of the man who isto ride. 
Beginners will find safety and comfort, too, 
selecting a wheel which weighs a few pounds 
more than the lightest. Too much weight 
is bad; too little weight much worse. 


9 




To Ride a Featherweight. 

A featherweight has to be ridden with 
great discretion, and humored in every way. 
A clumsy rider will never be able to ride it 
with safety, and a reckless rider will find it, a 
death trap. One's seat is, perhaps, the most 
vital point. If the rider sits like a dead 
weight in the saddle, he will, no matter how 
light he may be, break up his mount in a 
very short time. He must be sympathetic. 
He must sit lightly, resting a proportion of 
his weight on pedals and handles, and ready 
at any moment to automatically ease that 
portion of the machine which is subjected to 
a sudden shock. For example, should he 
strike a heap of stones in the dark, he should 
be able instantaneously and instinctively to 
raise his front wheel slightly, thereby easing 
it of the weight, and he should then lean on 
pedals and handles, and by shifting the 
weight again relieve the back wheel of the 
strain of ploughing through the stones. Even 
when his back wheel strikes a stone he should, 
by throwing his w r eight forward, be able to 
lessen the shock, or even make it glance off 
the obstrucion without surmounting it. He 
should, in fact, be part and parcel of his ma¬ 
chine, responding with lissomeness to its 
every movement. Sudden wrenches, such as 
a deep rut gives, should be avoided; hills 
almost beyond one’s powers, shold not be 
attempted; and down grades should never be 
coasted; for, with feet up, it is impossible to 
sit otherwise than as a dead weight. A 
featherweight is seldom the same again after 
a severe smash, and consequently every 
precaution should be taken. 

Bearings; How Tight. 

When with a slight pressure of the thumb 
and forefinger you can detect a very slight 
side play in the wheel or cranks, the bearings 
are about right; but when they can be freely 
shaken, they need tightening. 



Comparative Running Qualities. 

There is no occasion for a rider to be 
uneasy in his mind because his back wheel 
will not revolve, when lifted off the ground, 
as long as somebody else’s. This test is a 
very indifferent guide to the comparative 
running qualities of two machines. One 
reason, of course, is that so much depends on 
the rigidity of the frame. ]N T o matter how 
freely a wheel revolves when no pressure is 
applied to the pedals, the machine will not 
run easily in actual use if the pressure on 
the pedals throws the chain wheel out of line, 
while any want of rigidity in the cranks, the 
chain or the spokes will also mean a loss of 
power. A poor chain, too, may run freely 
when "loose, but not when power is applied. 
Then, again, the length of time a wheel will 
revolve wlmn off the ground depends very 
much upon the weight of the tire and rim, 
and perhaps partly on the weight of the 
pedals. A wheel fitted with light racing tire 
will not revolve as long as one fitted with 
a heavy roadster. But there is another rea¬ 
son, namely, that some of the forces which 
oppose the revolution of the wheel are 
increased by the weight of the rider in the 
saddle, while others are not. Suppose there 
are two machines, and the back wheel of 
neither of them will revolve freely; but in 
one case this is due to friction in the hub 
bearings, while in the other case it is due to 
a leather gear case touching the spokes. The 
weight of the rider will make no difference to 
the pressure of the leather against the spokes, 
and this slight retarding force will be very 
little noticed in actual riding; but the friction 
in the bearings, being enormously increased 
b: the rider’s weight, will become a serious 
matter. 

To Clean a Chain. 

Take can or tin box large enough to coil 
chain and place in can; pour in gasoline to 



cover chain; put on a tight fitting cover and 
shake it for a few minutes. Pour off gasoline 
and repeat once. In five minutes this will 
clean any chain perfectly. Oil well and 
work it in; now wipe dry and put on graphite, 
and chain will run smoothly. Do not use 
gasoline in room with light or fire, if at 
night use kerosine oil instead of gasoline, 
every time. 

CEMENTING TIRE ON RIMS, 

To cement a tire to any kind of a rim 
without heating the cement is by taking hard 
red cement, grind as finely as possible and let it 
stand for several hours in a large mouthed 
bottle, first having covered with benzine. An 
occasional shaking should be given it, 
until the cement is thoroughly dissolved, 
when it is ready for use. The rim should be 
cleaned with a cloth saturated with benzine, 
and a heavy coat of the cement applied to 
the rim with a brush. Then apply benzine 
to the part of the tire that sets in the rim, put 
on the tire and inflate hard. A tire cemented 
on the rim in this manner seldom works loose. 
The application of cement will suffice for any 
number cf tires, as once on the rim it always 
remains. To keep this cement, it should 
always be corked. And to prevent explosion, 
see that there is no fire or flame in the room. 

Smoking Lamp. 

Never allow a bicycle lamp to smoke. 
Nothing is more disagreeable or more effec¬ 
tually ruins a lamp than smoking. This is 
almost invariably caused by having the wick 
turned too high. The light should be so reg¬ 
ulated as to burn a clear, steady flame. 

THE WHEEL. 

The wheel is the promoter of health; health 
is the twin sister of beauty, and both are 
closely related to happiness. And happiness— 
is next to heaven. 


Another Way To Clean a Chain. 

Boil in a solution of cyanide of Potassium 
and water. It leaves it as clean as new. Be 
careful in using this solution, for it is very 
poisonous. 

How To Clean Bearings. 

Remove the oil cups from the crank shaft 
box and flood the bearings with gasoline, at 
the same time spinning the cranks. The 
gasoline will cut loose and carry off any oil 
that has become gummy, and take with it 
dirt and sand. When the gasoline runs 
% through the bearings, clear and white, the 
job is done. Let the wheel stand a few 
minutes for the gasoline to evaporate, then 
put onoil. Keep gasoline off the tire. 

In many bicycles it is a difficult matter to 
flush the bearings of the crank shaft with 
kerosine, owing to the absence of or smallness 
of the oil hole; they can, however, be admir¬ 
ably flushed in most bicycles by removing 
the saddle post and pouring kerosene down 
the frame. The crank shaft should of course 
"be rapidly rotated and the bicycle inclined 
from side to side. 

Cleaning and Oiling. 

A wheel should be cleaned and oiled at 
least once a week. To clean the wheel, 
place the wheel upside down, resting on the 
saddle and the handle bar, which should rest 
on a cloth or piece of old carpet to prevent its 
being marred. Remove the dust from the 
wheel with a dry brush. If the rims and 
frames are muddy, use a wet cloth; a small 
brush will be found useful in cleaning the 
sand or mud from the hub or sprocket wheel. 
If the enamel of the frame appears streaked 
after washing off the mud, it should be rubbed 
with a dry piece of cloth or chamois skin. 
Do not use oily rags on the enameled parts. 
The spokes should be cleaned with a cloth. 





A Bicycle Handle. 

The object of this 
contrivance is to give 
the instructor some¬ 
thing to “hang on to” 
while acting as a rud¬ 
der to some fair novice. 

A Bicycle Stand. 

Just the thing on 
which to clean 
wheels, adjust bear¬ 
ings, repair tires, and* 
to true up wheels 
when they are a little 
out. Other notches 
can be cut in the up¬ 
right so that the 
wheel can be turned 
upside down Single 
notch to hold wheel while pumping it up 
with floor pump. 

To Adjust Bearings. 

Slacken nuts on end of axle, then adjust 
cone so that wheel runs a little tight; grad¬ 
ually tighten nuts a little on end of axle. 
Back your cones from bearings against frame 
until wheel runs smoothly, and then tighten 
outside nuts to stay. It is nothing more 
than the principle of jam nut, yet it insures 
much finer adjustment. 

VASELINE. 

An expert in the manufacture of delicate 
scientific instruments and electric motors, 
says: “We experimented with many different 
oils in order to secure something that would 
not be affected by heat or cold, yet not too 
thin to run through the bearings. The con¬ 
clusion we have come to is that the cheapest 
and best is vaseline, especially for ball 
bearings.” 












To Join a Chain. 

At A is where you will find a majority of 
riders will try to put the chain together. 



Just draw the ends of chain back to B and 
see how easy it is to put a chain together. 

Adding a Link to aiChain. 

First file around the head of rivet, as shown 
in A, Fig. 2, (do not file the head off), and 
then force off side of link, as in B, Fig. 3. 

1 i :to to 

After the additional link has been inserted, 
Rivet C, Fig. 3, can then be reused. 

Saddles. 

The position of the saddle depends much 
upon the height of the handle bars, when 
the handle bars are well up, the front of the 
saddle should be elevated a little to keep 
rider from slipping forward on the little end 
of the saddle, in proportion you lower the 
handle bar you lower the front end of saddle, 
but the same position is not comfortable for 
| every one. The rider should change the 
position of saddle until comfortable, if after 
trying different positions it is not comfortable 
turn the wheel upside down (after having 
placed the saddle at the proper tilt), and 
sponge the under part of leather with hot 
water and soft soap for about a quarter of an 
hour. Then, having previously donned an 
ancient pair of breeches, dry the leather and 
take the machine for a ride of about twenty 
minutes, preferably over a rough road. This 
will cause the softened leather to mould 
itself to the shape of the body. The saddle 















should then be left in a warm room for some 
hours in order to dry. Would advise for 
comfort, a saddle with spring. Old riders 
know what they want. 

Squeaking Saddles. 

Most persons who have to do with bicyles 
are aware that the coils of some varieties of 
saddles are apt to rub together and cause a 
slight squeak, which is got rid of by touching 
any points of contact with oil, or preferably 
with vaseline. But there is another kind of 
sqeak with which some saddles are afflicted, 
often louder than that whieli conies from 
the springs, although the closest inspection 
may fail to reveal anything wrong, or any 
point where friction can be expected to take 
place. Under these circumstances, one may 
feel pretty sure that the noise comes from an 
infinitesimally slight mo vementof the leather 
on the framework of the saddle. Turn the 
wheel upside down and drop a little oil all 
around between the leather and framework 
and the noise will probably be heard no more, 
at all events for some months, till the oil has 
dried up, when the dose may be repeated. 

Front Forks. 

The front fork should turn easily, not 
rattle or bind. The bearings are adjusted 
by the top cone and held in place by a lock 
nut, and should be examined often and oiled 
a little when oiling other bearings. 

The front fork is a very important part of 
a bicycle, and should be examined often, its 
collapse is the most dangerous accident that 
can occur, except from a collision. 

Manufacturers have so strengthened the 
forks in the past year, that seldom one col¬ 
lapses except from constant misuse. 

JNew wheels often leave the agency with 
front fork so tight that it is impossible to 
steer properly, and the beginner is apt to 
damage the wheel on this account. 


Removing Crank Key. 

Turn nut back until one full thread shows 

inside the nut, and if 
keyhasbecome rusted, 
apply a drop of light 
oil or turpentine o n 
each end. Then hav¬ 
ing previously made a 
short punch from a f- 
inch brass rod, tapered 
enough at one end to 
enter nut and set 
against threaded end 
of key, hold a block of 
babbit metal or copper 
against under side of 
crank close to head of 
key and strike a sharp 
blow with a light hammer. 

Crank Tightener. 

To tighten a crank when 
worn so new pin will not take 
up play, take crank axle and 
turn smooth i n lathe, then 
take crank and ream true, next 
turn a steel plug that will drive 
tight in hole [a] in crank; then 
braze and forge the size of 
crank axle. This works well 
o n machines for which new 
cranks cannot be obtained.” 

Why Spindles Get Bent. 

The spindles or axles of the back and front 
wheels frequently get bent because the fork 
ends are not parallel, or because the nuts at 
the end of the spindle do not screw up flat 
against the fork ends. It may be that the 
outer side of the fork end, that is, the side 
facing away from the wheel, is not flat, or it 
may be that the nut is not made square and 
true. But in any case, when the nuts are 

17 

































# 

tightened up a great strain is put on the spin¬ 
dle, and want of attention to this seemingly 
small matter will explain a large proportion 
of otherwise unaccounted for bent spindles. 

TO STRAIGHTEN PEDAL PIN ON THE ROAD. 

Remove the parts of the pedal except the 
shaft and leave this fastened to the crank. 
Then place a piece of wood under the shaft 
to relieve the shock, and strike the shaft 
carefully in the right direction. 

If you can not remove pedal from parts for 
pin, place wood under crank as above, and 
hit pedal with board, or with stone, holding 
piece of wood on pedal to keep from battering. 
When you get home put it in good order. 
This, may seem rough usage but something- 
must be done when on the road. 

CRANK STRA 1 GHTENER. 

T o straighten a crank 
without removing from the 
axle, take two 18-in. 
wrenches, fit firmly at 
either side of the bend. By 
using them as levers, the 
crank can be straightened to perfection. 

STRAIGHTENING CRANKS, PEDAL PINS, ETC. 

Here is a device for straightening cranks, 
pedal pins and wheel axles: Get three pieces 

of soft brass or copper 
£ or 5-8-incli square, 
long enough to reach 
the full length of face 
of vise and two inches 
to be bent over 
the top of jaws to pre¬ 
vent them from falling 
off. Place the crank or pedal pin between 
the three pieces, adjusting them to the bend, 
regardless of the threads as they will not be 
injured in the least. There is no danger of 
breaking them in this manner. 


















What Can the Matter Be? 

What is the matter with the wheel? 

It rattles, or something- binds, [a new wheel 
too], and I cannot see what it is., It pushes 
so hard, and 1 cannot steer it like some other 
wheels? 

Some one if not all these questions are 
asked by the beginner, and by a great many 
who have used a wheel for a year. 

Mr. B, W, or Z will tell you this that and 
the other thing, not knowing himself but 
guessing. 

Granting you have started out with wheel 
in good order, running smooth and nice. To 
care for a wheel is to keep it in that shape. 
Having taken a long ride, but no falls or 
accidents, yet there is a rattle. Now to find 
the cause. Look at the seat, see that every 
bolt and nut is set up tight, especially the 
gooseneck or T, then the spring, the leather 
will stretch and often cause the spring to 
rattle or squeak, and the sound will often 
deceive you, being at the saddle will often 
sound at the foot. A drop of oil, a little 
tightening of leather, or a slight bend in the 
spiral spring will remedy it. 

A Jingling Sound. 

A jingling sound often comes from the 
solder breaking loose where the spokes cross 
one another. Noticeable most when spokes 
► are loose. 

A Clicking Sound. 

A clicking sound, which is often taken for 
a broken ball, sand in the bearings or griping 
of the chain, [there may be a sound from 
either of these causes] when it is simply one 
or more loose spokes. Tighten the spokes, 
but be careful to keep the wheel in true while 
doing it, do not simply tighten the loose 
spokes regardless of the others or you will 
get it out of true. [See truing a wheel.] 




Pedals Rattling. 

Take up the lost motion, or loosen as the 
case may be, so it will run smooth. Fasten 
by lock nut, or by the device provided, 
according to make of pedals. 

A Jogging Noise. 

A jogging noise which is felt by the feet, 
is caused by a loose crank. The pin should 
be driven in and nut set up tight, or if cotter 
pin will not hold it firm because it is worn, 
put in a new pin. 

A Thumping Noise. 

A thumping noise is often caused by a loose 
sprocket. Examine carefully, and if loose, 
tighten. The same noise and jar is made by 
a loose chain. The lost motion is felt more 
when, the foot does not follow the pedal 
around. To test this keep your feet firm on 
pedals, following them around taking up the 
lost motion. If you can stop the noise by so 
doing, it is the loose chain. In this way you 
can tell if it is the chain or sprocket without 
getting off the wheel. There are many 
things about a wheel to rattle. Do not ride 
a rattling wheel. 

Broken Balls. 

Occasionally a ball will break and it should 
be replaced at once, but examine all other 
parts first. Wherever you decide the broken 
ball is, examine that part first. If in wheel, 
take wheel out; if in crank axle, take off 
chain, unscrew cone and examine balls. Be 
careful in replacing to get the right number 
in each side. Do not drop any into the 
barrel, as we have found balls in the tubing 
which were dropped in when putting them in 
the crank axle. This was done at the factory 
when it w r as made, as it had never been apart, 
if they make mistakes you are apt tc. This 
ball rattled for months and could not be lo¬ 
cated. To find a stray ball, or a chip of 
metal, or a hard loose lump of enamel in the 
tubing, turn the frame upside down, slowly. 



Front Wheel Axle. 

Front wheel axle is sometimes broken or 
bent, caused by the nut or nuts getting loose, 
and going over rough ground especially going 
down hill, the front wheel will jump out of 
one side, bend or break the axle, and often 
the fork, possibly your neck. 

See that the wheels are properly fastened 
in the forks. A nut that has never been 
loose, will, sometimes, after a year get loose. 

A Loose Washer. 

A loose washer will often puzzle you, or a. 
washer put in the wrong place, The washer 
should go between the cone and the nut, 
which is supposed to prevent the cones from 
turning when tightening the nuts. 

Rattling Tools. 

Wrap tools so they will not rattle, or have 
a bag with pockets for each article. 

Chain should not be tight, nor should it be 
so loose that it strikes the frame, or have 
much lost motion. 

Tight Bearings. 

Tight bearings are generally caused when 
tightening chain Be careful that the cones 
do not turn when setting up nuts after tight¬ 
ening chain or adjusting crank axle. A safe 
plan is too take off chain, after it has been 
adjusted, to see if all bearings are right, then 
put on chain again without loosening axle. 

[See adjusting chain.] 

Head or Steering Bearings. 

The adjustment is a very important thing, 
some think a tight head will cause wheel to 
run steady, this is a mistake. It is better to 
have the head too loose than too tight, but 
have it just right, that is loose enough to turn 
easily, when held off the ground, with the 
little finger, but not loose enough to rattle or 
work up and down. 





THE PEDALS. 

The pedals often become tight by the jam- 
nut getting loose, then working tight, the 
' pedal cone tightening on balls. Keep jam nut 
tight. 

Pedals need oil, as a rule they get very little. 

Cause of Chain Tightening. 

Often when a chain is about right, upon 
riding after a rain or a heavy dew, mud and 
sand gets into the chain and sprockets, mak¬ 
ing a grinding or clicking sound, wipe off 
chain and sprockets and it will stop. Some¬ 
times a chain will get a little tighter than 
usual and not be noticeable in riding only by 
the careful observer, often caused by rust 
from being in rain or left out in heavy dew, 
a drop of oil on each rivet will remedy it, 
wipe off oil from chain after turning the 
wheel about a minute. 

Oil the Chain. 

The average chain has about 100 joints, 
and, in riding, these joints become dry and 
the chain stiff. In passing over the small 
sprocket wheel,these joints form elbows,and 
owing to the stiffness of the chain they do 
not entirely straighten out. Hence the chain 
appears to be tight. The remedy is in the 
oilcan and not in the monkey wrench,graph¬ 
ite, stove polish, soap. etc. The chain needs 
a drop of oil at each side of every joint,then 
put on graphite if you have it; if not go ahead 
without it. It is the oil in the rivets that 
lubricatesa chain,not the graphite that is on 
the chain. 

Climbing Chain. 

One that rides up on the teeth of the 
sprockets, generally caused by worn sprock¬ 
ets, too soft metal, the links and rivets worn, 
poor chain or twisted links- 

The best remedy is either new sprocket or 
sprockets, or new chain, often both. 



f 


Care of Bicycle Tires. 

During wet weather tires are more liable to 
puncture than in dry weather. Even if not 
actually punctured, tires will often become 
depressed, and marks, nicks, etc., will appear 
in the gum. 

The Effect of Heat Upon Tires, 


A rider who leaves his wheel for half a day 
in the sun cannot expect his tires to last as 
well as if they were in the shade. Hardly 
anything will take the life and elasticity out 
! of a thin body of rubber like sunshine. Nor 
is it wise to drop oil on the tire. In case a 
part of the rubber crumbles away, leaving 
the fabric of the cover exposed, the threads 
should at once be covered with gutta percha 
or some other cement. If this is not done 
they will absorb water, which will follow 
them far inside of the cover and will even¬ 
tually rot them off. 

Taking Out Inner Tubes, 


Run the little ball 
around inside of casing, 
slip end of tube through 
loop in wire, and with 
the string pull the wire 
loop through casing and 
the tube is loose. Use loop made of No. 8 
brass wire, soldered at the joint so there wont 
be any danger of cutting the tube. 



Blown Out at the End. 


To repair an inner tube which has been 
blown out at the end. Cement the inside of 
the tube about 1£ inches, and then fold over 
the cemented end upon itself for half an inch. 

Mark Where the Air Escapes. 

Mark the tire with an indelible pencil as 
soon as you find the puncture and while the 
tire is wet. When dry, the puncture that 
was easily found in the water tank becomes 
lost to view. 









Obstinate Inner Tube. 

Here is a sketch of method of fastening a 
string to an inner tube for drawing tube 
back into tire. This form of tie gives a 



strong hold, as it grips in three places. It 
holds the tube in pointed or wedge shape, 
instead of forming a lump at string end, 
which often tears the tube as well as making 
it extremely hard to pull it in position. 

Another Way. 

Immerse that part of casing where the 
inner tube sticks, in warm water. 

Removing Refractory Tube. 

Remove tire from wheel. Deflate. Grasp 
tires with both hands, lift it above head and 
bring it down to the floor—bang! Do this 
several times. The tube can usually be with¬ 
drawn. With ordinary care no damage will 
be done to tire, tube or valve. 

Inner Tube. 

Sometimes the inner tube sticks so fast 
that it becomes impossible to get it out. 
By slitting the cover on the side opposite 
the valve, and on the inner surface where it 
lays on the rim, it can be easily removed and 
put back much easier. Then lace it up the 
same as you would the opening for the valve 
stem. 

Cementing Tire on Steel Rims. 

The easiest and quickest way to recement a 
tire on a steel rim is to drop a little gasoline 
on old cement—just enough to run entirely 
around the rim. Then touch a match to it 
and let it burn out. Put tire on at once and 
pump up hard. This makes a good job, and 
it doesn’t injure enamel like using a lamp. 






Removing Inner Tube. 

When single tube tires become worn and 
leaky, inner tubes are often put in them. 
After they have been used for some, time it 
becomes a very difficult matter to remove 
them. This may be done by filling the casing 
with gasoline; the tube will then pull out 
without effort. When gasoline has evaporat¬ 
ed and you wish to replace tube, put a hand¬ 
ful of powdered soapstone in case and turn 
tire around until soapstone becomes thor¬ 
oughly distributed. 

Repairing Long Cuts. 

Where the tire has a large cut, take a 
piece of old casing one size smaller. Trim off 
the rubber down to canvas about i inch back 
from each end for the purpose of protecting 
the inner tube from the sharp edges. Open 
up tire where cut is, slip the piece of casing 
in, thread the tube through and sew up. 

Valves in Order. 

After unscrewing the cap, press down on 
the plunger. This will let part of air out, 
and the force of air coming out will blow out 
all loose dust and dirt that may be around 
valve. The cause of valve leaking is often 
by dirt adhering to same. 

CREEPING. 

The smallest contact between air and the 
fabric of a tire means the escape of the air. 
Sometimes valves cause leakage of this kind. 
Sometimes it is the fault of the valve. More 
frequently it is the fault of the man who care¬ 
lessly cements the tire to the rim, thus caus¬ 
ing the tire to creep and the valve to become 
chafed. Often valve stem holes in wood are 
saw-edged. Often valves are handled very 
roughly. 

A LACER. 

A common corset or shoe-string makes a 
splendid lace for tire. It is handy, cheap, 
strong and pliable; no needle is required. 


TELESCOPING A TUBE. 


This plan as is in use in M.&W.repair shops 
for telescoping a tube. They use two short 
pieces of li-inch brass tubing, sawed open. 
They say: Pull one end through the brass 
tube, leaving just enough projecting at the 
other end as you wish the patch to be, i. e., 
one inch or more, and then turn it right over 
the brass tube. Then take the other end of 
rubber tube and pull it through the other 
brass tube, only have the end project twice as 
long as the first one, i. e., about two inches or 
more and turn it over the brass tube same as 
the first end. Then turn this long end back on 
itself. It is now ready for the cement. Put 



plenty of cement on both ends so made, and 
when tacky, place brass tubes, with the two 
ends on, together, and lap one over the other 
and keep there until dry. Then pull off,and 
the entire tube is easily gotten from the brass 
tube bv reason of the brass tube being slotted 
By making one turn of the rubber over one 
brass tube and two turns over the other one 
you can readily see that on the first brass 
tube the inside of tube is exposed, whereas 
on the second brass tube,which has two turns 
of rubber,the outside of tube is exposed. The 
great advantage of this plan is that it can be 
used either for splicing or telescoping inner 
tubes. 





How to Repair Valve Stem Leaks. 

When valve stems are cut by friction on 
edge of rim or otherwise, deflate tire, cover 
valve stem with liquid cement, being sure to 
fill cut thoroughly, cover stem and cut with 
small rubber bands. Be sure and pass bands 
two or three times around, so that they will 
squeeze into cut. Bands to cover stem at 
least one-fourtli inch each side of cut all the 
way around. 

Careless Repairmen. 

Many riders and repairmen are careless in 
putting tubes in covers after patching, with¬ 
out using soapstone or chalk. The result is 
that when next the inner tube needs fixing, 
it cannot be removed. Use soapstone freely 
around patches; even fine road dust is better 
than nothing. 

PUNCTURES. 

In sections of the country where thorns and 
cactus points cause trouble, instead of ex¬ 
tracting the thorn it is better to snap it off 
flush with the tire. In this way the air will 
be retained and the tire will be more likely to 
carry the rider home safely. 

Occasionally the lap— that place in the 
outer casing where the ends of the canvas 
fabric are joined— works loose, generally be¬ 
cause the tire is allowed to remain flabby 
while being used. 

Putting: Away for the Winter. 

When the bicycle is put away for winter, 
it should be thoroughly cleaned and vaseline 
or gun grease rubbed over all the bright 
parts, and the bearings should be flushed 
with oil. The tires should also be thoroughly 
cleaned, and the machine inverted so as to 
rest on the handle bar and saddle, so that 
the weight will not rest on the tire. A bi¬ 
cycle stand is still better, or the wheel may 
be suspended from the ceiling. 



To Straighten a Twisted Frame. 

Two soft pine boards, five feet long, about 
one inch thick, four or five inches wide at 
the butt end, and two inches at the small 
end are represented by A A; they are cut or 
notched out at a, a, a, a, to receive the 
tubing of the frame. This is to prevent the 
collaiDsing of the tubes. 

To operate, place one end of the board 
inside of the frame, the other end outside of 
the frame, as near the steering head as 



A L«_... i 

A nr~. # -> 


possible. Place the other board the reverse 
to this as near the sprocket and saddle post 
as possible. Pull the frame straight, which 
can be observed by sighting through, and 
noting that the steering head is parallel 
with the seat post. 

Frames may be straightened this way 
without damage to frame or finish, and 
with very little expense. 

To Remove a Sprocket. 

To remove a screwed-on sprocket or any 
other screw, turpentine is a never failing 
laxative. The parts should be warmed 
when possible. 















To Straighten Short Bend in Frame, 

The accompanying cut will show you how 
to straighten short bends in frames, or can 
be used for any kind of bend. 



Three blocks—one three inches and two 
2 inches square. Cut groove to fit tubing. 
Two common clamps; lay on table as in figure. 
Clamp frame near bend between two blocks; 
draw down with second clamp until’frame is 
straight. Use poplar or pine blocks. 


Truing Front Forks. 



A simple method for 
trui ng front forks 
when bent backward, 
using a piece of 1-inch 
straight board 5 inches 
wide and 3 feet long. Fig. 
1 shows face of board with 
mortise for extended parts. 
By lining off as shown in 
diagram, it is very handv 
for trying when bent 
sideways. 


The Rev. Dr. Harrison, of Brooklyn, pro¬ 
nounces cycling the cleanest possible sport 
which brings a man nearer to heaven. 









































Another Way of Truing Front Forks. 

First prove with square and see if crown 
and st6m are at right angles; if not, place 
the stem over a stout bar firmly secured in a 
bench vise. Using forks as lever, bend stem 
until true with crown. Place stem in vise 
as in Fig. 3, and pull forks into line as shown 



in Fig.2. Then move forks one fourth turn in 
vise and pull or shove fork sides into line as 
shown in Fig. 1, keeping points A and B 
equi-distant from true centre line. Care 
should be taken to have the curve indicated 
by C, the same on each fork side. Good 
practice is required for this job, as it is im¬ 
portant that the fork should be true. 


Truing Up a Wheel. 

Avery simple method of truing a .wheel. 
Rest the bottom bracket on something to 
to keep it clear of the floor. Hold a chalk 
crayon near the rim letting it rest on the 
lower base. Revolve wheel and set up the 



spokes where the chalk marks the rim. Rub 
off the chalk marks and continue as above 
until the chalk takes on all parts of the rim. 
























To Straighten Forks. 

If fork is bent only in the sides, it is not 
always necessary to take out of wheel. Turn 
wheel upside down. Take out front wheel 
after noting how fork is bent; straddle wheel 
and sit on sprocket wheel; put feet on bars, 
grasp forks in both hands and push one at a 
time forward till it lines up with head, 



follow with other one [Fig. 1]. If very badly 
bent in either crown or sides, it is better to 
heat it. If the crown is bent I usually catch 
hold of top of fork at point where the crown 
projects into fork side, and pull with wrench 
and push the fork side. 

If badly bent or very stiff, take out of head^ 

clamp lightly one side 
of fork in vise, bushing 
the jaws with a piece 
o f cloth [F i g. 2]. 
Thrust a long steel rod 
down the stem and put 
the wrench on as 
before, laying a piece 
of leather or cloth 
over the fork to pre¬ 
vent scratching. In 










































this way you can bend any fork. If it needs 
heating, as many do, heat and follow same 
plan. If stem is bent, heat it; pull back by 
putting forks into vise and heat place to be 
bent only. Thrust in steel rod and pull back 
to place. 

To true up sideways, put in wheel again. 
Get a long straight-edge or straight bar and 
lay it along center of head. If it stands 
midway between forks, and head is true 
with frame, the wheels should track. A 
person can test this by riding hands off or by 
his eye. 

To Straighten Front Fork Crown, 

A quick and simple way to straighten the 
front fork crown of a bicycle is to place it on 
a box, as shown below. B shows the bend. 
An assistant should hold the rear wheel down 
on the floor. The workman takes hold of 
the front wheel at A, and by pulling forward 



easily brings the forks into their original 
position. If one fork is bent back farther 
than the other, the front wheel should be 
turned toward that side a little, in order to 
put more pressure on that side. The tires 
should be pumped hard so the edges of the 
box will not injure the rims. 

To Line Up a Sprocket. 

Grip ends of crank shaft firmly in bench 
vise, as in illustration; use three-foot straight¬ 
edge on the outside of large sprocket wheel, 







and if the rear one is out or in, throw into 
line by pulling or shoving on rear forks 
until they are in perfect alignment. 


When Both Bars are Thrown Over. 

To line up the wheels when caused by 
both top and bottom bars being thrown over. 
Put the whole wheel in bench vise by grip¬ 
ping ends of crank shaft very firmly. First 
line up the sprockets; then, placing one 
hand on the fork near front axle, and the 



33 
























into line with the rear one. To prove when 
true to line, use straight-edge six or seven 
feet long on side of wheels, as shown in 
illustration. Points indicated by the figures 
1, 2, 3, 4, should all touch straight-edge at 
the same time. 

Blocks for Straightening Tubing. 

Take two blocks of the size desired for the 

purpose, place the faces 
together and clamp in 
vise. Use a bit the size 
of tubing to be worked 
upon, place point of bit 
i n center of joint be¬ 
tween the two blocks 
and bore a hole 
through the blocks. 



To Line Up a Wheel. 

To line up the wheels when caused by a 
twist in the frame, first remove forks from 
frame and secure a steel bar of the proper 
diameter, about 15 inches in length. Grip 
the bar perpendicularly in the bench vise 
and slide steering head shield over bar. 



Procure a stout hard wood stick, 1^x2 inches 
and four feet long, and place it upright 
through frame, near the pillar post. Take a 




















firm hold of the stick near each end and 
twist in the way desired, until the steering 
head shield is in line with the pillar post. 
See illustration. 

Tube Straightener. 

It is very cheap, and any repairman can 
make it for himself. The clamp in sketch 
can be reversed and half-round block put on 
end of screw instead of as per sketch, making 
it very easy to straighten short inbends in 
rear fork, etc. The long wood block [1£ inch 
square and 18 inches long] is slightly curved 



from end to end to give tubing a chance to 
spring back. I use blocks in clamp made of 
soft wood, just the size of tube and three 
inches long. On the long block I use £x3 inch 
flat iron, bent to fit 1 ± inch tubing. I fill in 
with leather to fit tube. One end is station¬ 
ary and the other is movable. Use two wood 
screws to hold in place. 

Taking Bends Out of Handle Bars. 

Method to take kinks or bends out of 

tubing or handle bars. 
Two pieces of brass (AA) 
formed to vise jaws; two 
pieces of new hard 
leather belting [bb]; 
rivet t o brass. Take 
short grips o n kinks. 
After kinks are out as 
much a s possible, re¬ 
volve the tubing or handle bar in the leather 
grips, which will give a polished finish. The 












































leather must be at least f- inch thick, which 
will form a circle around the tubing. 

Bending Handle Bars. 

Remove grips, fill bar with sand and pound 
same down hard. Plug both ends with metal 
plugs; tapered are best. Wash bar thorough¬ 
ly clean and wipe nickel dry. Heat under a 

gas or gasoline flame 
until i t reaches a 
bright cherry red. 
Have your vise fitted 
with sheet brass jaws, 
and clamp bar into a 
position where it will 
not turn. Slip a piece 
of tubing over end of 
bar fora lever and 
bend. Repeat this 
process until one side 
is iiroperly bent, then 

bend opposite side to match. 

A handy tool for bending bars is made of 
two brass castings, grooved to fit bars on 
inside edge. A lever is fitted to one, and the 
two are connected by strong bars of iron. It 
works on the plan of an eccentric. Two of 
these wrenches make the job easier. Buff 
bars on polishing wheel with rotten stone 
and oil. After cleaning bars, finish with 
another buff, using Vienna lime prepared in 
stick form for this purpose, or rouge. Bars 
will now look like new. 

To Bend Handle Bar. 

To bend handle bars, remove grips and fill 
bar with melted resin or lead, [1 prefer lead] 
taking care to have bar quite warm while 
filling. Prepare the bending form as follows: 
procure a hardwood plank 2 inches thick, 12 
inches wide and long enough to reach from 
floor to ceiling. Fasten firmly at both ends. 
Then bore a one inch hole through plank 
about 30 inches from the floor. This hole 











































will be found very handy in making short 
bends by placing the bar through the hole 



and using a piece of tubing 18 inches long 
and large enough to go over the end of the 
bar. This will give a sufficient leverage to 
bend the stiffest bar. Next take four pulleys 
2 inches in diameter, two 4 inches in diameter, 
and two 6 inches in diameter. Bolt the pul¬ 
leys firmly to the plank, two on each side, 2 
feet from the floor, the small pulleys being 
opposite each other and the larger one like¬ 
wise, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. This makes 
a good form for making the long bends and 
changing the drop. 

Crank Pins. 

In driving out a sticky crank pin, support 
the crank on an anvil; o'l the key, then use 
heavy hammer and short, stiff piece of brass 
held on key. Many keys are spoiled by using 
too light a hammer, upsetting end of key. 

Crank Key Remover. 



It overcomes the battering of threads and 





































the danger ol breaking cones, so oftefi done 
with hammer or mallet. It can be used to 
force a key in as well as out. It is made of 
best tool steel. The end of screw is bored out 
and small brass plug put in and left cup- 
sliaped to prevent its slipping off. 

Removing Crank Keys. 

Take a brass or copper block 1£ in, in di¬ 
ameter, drill a half inch hole through it [c]; 
bend a piece of sheet brass to fit jaw of vise 
[d]; place small o r threaded end against 



plate D, and the block c over opposite side of 
sleeve of crank. Tighten vise quickly, and 
the pin will come out without injury to any 
part of machine. To replace pin, reverse 
the operation, tightening vise quickly. 

A pipe cutter is far better than a file for 
cutting handle bars. 

Putting Bearings Together. 

In putting bearings together, where it is 
difficult to keep balls in cups until secured 
by cover, daub vaseline iu the ball cup and 
drop in the balls; the vaseline will hold them 
in place. 

It is not how much you ride, but how well 
you ride. Get all the pleasure you can out 
of your wheel and avoid that “tired feeling” 



























Removing: Tight Fitting: Cranks. 



Take a firm grip 
on the crank with 
the vise, and drive 
out axle with a 
long center punch 
Use clamps o f 
copper in vise. 


Straightening Cranks. 

A11 ordinary cranks 
can be stra ightened 
• while on the shaft by 
gripping the crank shaft 
firmly endwise in the 
bench vise; now remove 
pedals and use a large 
monkey wrench as a 
bender on the small end 
of cranks. 

DRILLING WOOD RIMS. 

First, space off the new rim and mark as 
show n in Fig. 1. Have a stick, as shown in 
Fig. 2, made of l|x| stuff, the cross pieces 




each 6 inches long, marked as shown. HI 
and H2 on the cross piece are the length of 
the hub apart, and also XI and X2, from H2 




























































to X2 is the diameter of flange. Put the stick 
into a rim exactly across the center, the figures 
on cross pieces on same side as figures on rim, 
beginning at say H2 at end A of stick. Put 
a drill of proper size in lathe, set tail-stick 
with center at the mark on cross piece, 
corresponding to the one on the rim. Drill 
that hole; slip the stick around to next mark, 
and drill in the same manner; countersinking 
for washers. After starting to drill, the 
stick should not be turned over. 

The frame shown in sketch is fastened on 
the lathe bed by the back piece, which is 
slotted for adjustment for different spread of 
wheels. The front end of frame is made of 
such height as will be right for the swing of 
lathe and bring the center of rim up to the 
drill. Use a twist drill for boring the hole. 
The spacing is marked both on inside and 



outside of rim, so the operator can see when 
his brill points to the center. A pointer at 
the back end of frame is used and the rim 
turned to bring the spacing and pointer 
together. Drill every other hole and then 
turn the rim over and finish. A countersink 
for the washer may be attached to drill and 
both operations be completed at once. 

TRUING UP A WHEEL. 

This device is made of l£x| inch iron; the 



lower part is 8 inches, the rising part 3 inches, 
and the upper part 17 inches long. Fasten 

















to edge of bench with heavy screw. Put pin 
in end to hold up when in use. 

Cause of Rims Clicking. 

What causes a good many wood rim bicycles 
to “crack” as if there was a ball broken. It 
is on account of loose spokes. Grasp tire with 
both hands and pull as hard as possible on 
wheel, at same time turn wheel around; the 
trouble will display itself- 

Repair Stand. 

Fasten the bicycle to the stand with straps. 



The stand is 20 inches wide at the end, and 
the sides are 8 feet long running a point. 

The Best Wheelman. 

It would be well to remember that the best 
wheelman is he who is most mindful of the 
rights of others and not he who is most reck¬ 
less in the enjoyment of himself. Everybody, 
on or off the wheel, should be considerate of 
the convenience, comfort and safety of every¬ 
one else. That is a good way to get along 
smoothly in this rough and tumble, work-a- 
day world. 

On Road and Path. 

A man may be a good and capable cyclist 
and yet be unable to negotiate a modern 
cycle track to advantage. A man may be a 
first-class racer and yet be unable to thread 
his way in a crowded city’s streets. Each in 
his own way is an expert. 


41 

















Wheel Balancer and Repair Stand. 

The A. Dudley Mfg. Co., Menominee, 
Mich., are makers of one the best wheel bal¬ 
ancers and repair stands known. It is ques¬ 
tionable whether anything has yet been 
produced equal to it in value. The sketches 
show the device in operation and also the at¬ 
tachments for gauging periphery of rim and 
gauging side lines of rim. It bears so many 
points of excellence that almost any person 
of ordinary intelligence can repair and true 



up a bicycle wheel. It is portable and does 
not need to be fastened down. It will balance 
any wheel from 24 to 30 inches in diameter 
and can be set for any width of a wheel-hub. 
The extension jaws of the hangers are sup¬ 
plied with springs and thumb-nuts, so the 
wheel-axle of any thickness will be held firm¬ 
ly in place. The balancing gauge is adjus¬ 
table in every direction and will gauge the 
wheel rim on its circumference and side 
lines ; it is made of brass and steel, nicely fin¬ 
ished and nickel plated. See adv. 

Trough for Testing Tubes. 

A useful article in the repair shop is a wa¬ 
ter trough for testing tubes, valves, etc. 
Take two boards 9 inches wide and 16 in¬ 
ches long for a stand, on them nail a flaring 
trough 24 inches long, 16 inches across top, 10 
inches across bottom; end piece,6 inches vide 
16 inches Jong at top and 9 inches at bottom. 
To make it water tight, pour a little tire ce- 




























ment in joints. In one end or centre put f-inch 
gas pipe with valve to run through floor. 

A GOOD GAS FORGE. 

A forge for small work can be made at small 
expense. This is one we have in use. Get a 
sheet iron pan 18 inches in diameter and 4 or 
5 inches deep; have three or four wrought 
iron legs bolted or riveted on and screwed to 
floor near a gas connection. The length of the 
different pipes will depend on circumstances. 
A fan blower is best, and should be as near 

forge as possible. Use 
large pipe for air. If 
afoot blower is used, 
rubber tubing can be 
attached and no valve 
is necessary for air. 
The tube projecting 
over pan should be f- 
inch gas pipe, and a 
row of 3-16-inch holes 
drilled close together 
on the under side. 
T wo tubes may be used 
for the flame, setting them side by side. 
These will turn the blaze slightly inward 
toward each other. This forge throws a clear 
blue flame, and is particularly adapted for 
bending handle bars, straightening fork 
stems, seat posts, etc., as the flame does not 
burn the nickel. 



A-G-as Inlet- B-Air Inlet. 


Removing Tight Cranks and Other Parts. 

We all know that heat causes a piece of 
metal to expand, and therefore when one 
piece fits so tightly into another that it can¬ 
not be removed we heat the outer piece to 
make it larger and endeavor to avoid heat¬ 
ing the inner piece lest perchance that should 
expand, too. But the point that it seems im¬ 
portant to insist upon is, that in these cases 
only a very slight degree of heat, in fact, not a 
great deal more than can be borne with the 
fingers is needed, and all beyond that is ob- 













ject'onable. What we want is to alter the 
relative heat of the two pieces, and as they 
are so closed together it is generally impossi¬ 
ble to get the temperature of the one more 
than a comparatively small amount higher 
than the temperature of the other. If we 
go on applying heat they are both sure to 
rise. To follow the directions which have 
sometimes appeared in print, and raise the 
outer piece to cherry red, would be a certain 
way of injuring the adjacent cups probably 
the plating, while little if anything, would be 
gained as compared with applying only 7 a 
slight degree of warmth. 

Guage to Try Front Forks. 

The material is as follows: A, hard wood 1£ 
xli x 29 inches; B, hard wood f x3 x 10 inches; 
D, hard wood f x 2 x 6 inches; F,hard wood f 
x 2 8 inches; E,is a piece of iron about 3 inches 
long screwed on the edge at the end of D; Gr, 
is also a piece of iron about 3 inches long 
screwed on the edge of F 6 inches from X;C, is 
a brass slide set into B, and is divided into 
equal divisions from the center each way. 



To try the fork to see if it is true, place the 
neck on the instrument against E and Gr,with 
the ends of the fork over the slide C,and move 
slide until both forks show on slide alike; then 
turn fork over,and if both are still alike, all is 
right; if not move the slide one-half the diff¬ 
erence and the center of slide will be inline 
with center of neck,then bend until both forks 
show on slide alike. 



STRAIGHTENING FRAMES. 

Method of straightening; frames that are 
bent sideways without removing wheels or 
f; ont forks. In some cases it may be necess¬ 
ary to remove sprocket shaft and wheel. 
F'rst line up sprocket wheels and bolt rear 
wheel fast to rear forks; lay the frame across 
a soft stick of wood notched or cut away to 
receive the frame at proper places as near 



the crank shaft or hanger and seat lug as 
possible, and bend,as shown,until the wheels 
• ire in line. This is a quick method of straight¬ 
ening frames that are bent sideways, as 
the Avheels do not have to be removed, and 
if they are removed,they have to be replaced 
t o line them up,which consumes considerable 
time and means extra expense. 

Truing Rear Forks. 

To true rear forks, put lev^r in wheel seat, 
hen pry over a stick placed just in front of 



i he braces, A and B. By making fulcrum at 
his point, it will prevent breaking of joints. 














Another Way to Straighten Bent Frames. 

Lay frame on blocks as per sketch; take a 
stick of medium length,say a broomstick: let 
a person stand on one end and roll the stick 



gently back and forth until the frame is 
straightened. If the tube flattens, turn up 
the other way and roll until in proper shape. 
This plan will give you good results. 

STRAIGHTENING HANDLE BARS. 

Take a bar of iron or steel [the latter pol¬ 
ished and hardened a little is best] which 
exactly fits inside of tube and about 12 inches 
long. Procure a block of wood about 2 inches 

square and four 
in length, and cut 
o u t a notch on 
one side to fit 
upper side of 
handle bar at 
joining of upright 
tube to prevent 
jamming. Place the block on an anvil with 
notch up, then place handle bar on block and 
drive the solid bar inside the tube. In this 
way the tube is left as smooth and true as 
ever. The bar can readily be removed from 
tube by twisting back and forth a few r times 
in a vise. If the tube has been badly kinked, 
it is a good plan, after straightening, to drive 
a short piece of tubing inside, for without it 
the tube will bend more easily a second time. 
A hollow seat post can also be treated in the 
same manner.” 


















Formula? For Repairmen. 

Some valuable formulae have been furnished 
y Mr. G. A. Suverkrop, mechanical engineer, 
amden, N. J. He says: “They are all 
racticable and practical. I have used them 
nd know them to be good.” On the subject 
f brazing, he says: “So many of us use 
w hatever spelter we can buy, without know- 
lg whether it will be suitable for the job 
1 hand.” 

Spelter for Bicycle Brazing. 

The best spelter for bicycle work is that 
sed by scientific instrument makers and gen- 
rally called silver solder, owing to the admix- 
lre of silver in it, and when one takes into 
msideration the small amount required to 
lake a joint, it is not much more expensive 
lan brass,and where light racing frames are 
> be built or fixed,it is almost a necessity % 
wing to its low melting point, the joint is" 
lade before the tube is heated enough to 
scale” and consequently decrease thickness 
:ill further. Anyone with a small forge^nd 
20-cent crucible can make spelter. The form- 
la for silver solder is as follows: Fine sil— 
er 19 dwts.; copper, ldwt. ;brass wire, 2 dwts. 
felt in crucible under a coat of powdered 
« tiarcoal; when melted, pour into a bucket of 
■ tean water to granulate,or pour into awood- 
■M mold and hammer into a thin sheet, 
nother spelter, cheaper and nearly as free 
unning as silver solder: Copper 1 oz.; zinc,l 
z. Melt copper first, add zinc,pour quickly 
ito water. 

Stronger spelter is in the proportion of cop¬ 
er, 32; zinc, 29; tin, 1. 

The work to be brazed should be clean at 
oints,free from all grease and rust. 

Better Than Borax as a Flux. 

Borax may be used as a flux,but as borax on 
Doling becomes very hard and is conducive 
) bad language and spoiled files, a better 
ux is: Borax,in powder,! lb.; bicarbonate of 


soda, powdered, lib. Use same as common 
borax, and when braze is finished and job is 
still red hot,dip in soapy water [steel will not 
harden in soapy water], and scale will fall off 
and leave steel and brass clean. Any little 
scale that does remain can almost be scraped 
off with the finger nail. 

A Birmingham Method of Brazing. 

There is a method of brazing hardly known 
outside of Birmingham, Eng., by means of 
which I have done some very difficult jobs. 
This is brazing without heat. There are sev¬ 
eral formulae, but I give the best that has 
come under my notice,and is suitable for steel 
andiron. Take i oz flouric acid [liydroflouric 
acid] brass filings, 2oz.; steel filings,1 oz. Put 
the brass and steel into the flouric acid; touch 
each part of the work to be brazed with the 
mixture and put them together; allow them 
to set. Dont forget to put the mixture in an 
earthen vessel, as flouric acid will dissolve 
glass. 

SOFT SOLDERING WITHOUT HEAT. 

While writing of brazing without heat,per¬ 
haps a method of soft soldering without heat 
would be in line. Take ammonia, 1 oz.; com¬ 
mon salt,l oz.;calcinede tartar,1 oz.;antimony 
3 ozs • Pound well together and sift. Put this 
in a piece of linen and inclose it well round 
with Fuller’s earth about an inch thick . Let 
it dry,then put it in a crucible covered by an¬ 
other crucible, over a slow fire to get hot by 
degrees.; keep up the fire until the contents 
of the crucible get hot und melt, then let it 
cool gradually, and pound the mixture to a 
fine powder. 

Here is a way to braze bicycle frames that 
works as well as a blow pipe. Make a funnel 
of asbestos about 12 in. high, 7 in. in diameter 
at small end* Place it over the forge fire, 
large end down. The more air you blow into 
the fire the larger the flame will be at top of 
funnel. 


How To Straighten Crushed Frames. 

If tubes have been dented or crushed in 
such a manner that it is impossible to make 
them look good without inserting new ones, 
take the small rivets out at the joints, un¬ 
braze the joint, and take tube entirely off 
frame. Drive a mandrel the right size down 
through tube and it will bring it out as nice 
as a new tube. If the tubing is not cracked 
or broken and it has a small check lengthwise 
it can be remedied by melting a little brass on 
tube before brazing in place. Of course,I on¬ 
ly do this when it is impossible to get new tu¬ 
bing on short notice. With care,a small bicy¬ 
cle shop can do as nice job as the factory. 

To Clean Tubes For Brazing. 

To clean tubes for brazing,heat tube nearly 
red in a clear blaze. Allow it to cool; rub 
bright with clean emery paper. Rub with 
borax paste and it is ready to braze. 

Another Way. 

The best way to prepare tubing for brazing 
is to clean off the ends thoroughly with eme¬ 
ry cloth, clean inside with cotton waste, and 
with emery take off the frays from ends. 

To Braze Loose Fitting Joints. 

To braze open or loose fitting joints when 
not convenient to charge with spelter and 
borax, use 3-16 high brass rod, about 2 feet in 
length, by heating end of rod and applying 
borax in the usual way. When joint is at 
about the proper heat allow end of rod to re¬ 
main on the joint until sufficient brass is melt¬ 
ed and the joint is well filled. This is simple 
and is superior to the best spelter. 

To Prevent Rust. 

To prevent rust after soft-soldering nickel- 
plated or plain steel spokes, apply common 
baking soda dissolved in rain water. 


Gasoline Brazing Furnace. 

It charges the blast with a vapor that burn 
as good as gas. It is necessary for the blast t 



enter tank (Gr) as near the bottom as possible 
while it has its outlet at the top. A five ga 
Ion oil can is best to use. When the gas leave 
the tank (Gr) and is forced through pipe (I 



and burner (B), it is lighted and makes a he 
blast. At A it is necessary to have a tigl: 
joint, so blast will not get into burner; at C 
flame comes out from burner (B); at D th 
blast or gas comes out and is lighted by flam 
(C). 

Padded Table For Repairmen. 

Sketch of a padded table for repairmei 



The illustration is self-explanatory. 





























































Useful Press. 

The cut of small press is self-explanatory 

to repairmen. It is 
useful for straight¬ 
ening bent forks —by 
using suitable blocks 
of wood—bent cranks, 
etc. The tool is screw¬ 
ed into the vise for use, 
or may be attached to 
the bench. The base 
is 10 inches long, 4 
inches wide and4 
inches between base 
nd end of screw at its highest point. The 
•ress weighs about thirty pounds. 


A 

S. 


Brazing 

Perkins, 


Furnace. 

Great Falls, Mont., 


George 
/rites : 

“ I send you a sketch of a brazing furnace 

I have just made 
which works to perfec¬ 
tion with either kero¬ 
sene, gasoline or ben- 
zine. Ihavetried 
them all. For gaso¬ 
line, use 15 pounds 
P ressure > an( l kero- 
^ sene, 20 to 25 pounds. 
Any floor pump will 
give the necessary 
pressure. My furnace 
cost me just $10.00. 
besides my work. 
Following are the 
materials, with cost of 
same here. 




gallon can of 18 guage iron $6.50, 3 pieces 
in. pipe, 50 in. long, threaded, 3 pieces i-in. 
ipe, 2 in. long, threaded, 1 piece i-in pipe, 
in long, threaded, 1 piece i-in. pipe, 18 in. 
>ng, threaded, 2 pieces i-in pipe, 6 in. long, 

























threaded,6 elbows, 1 T, 1 reducer, 1 tofxlf in. 
plug, 2 caps, 1 globe valve, 1 cock, 1 steam 
guage, $3.50. Total $10.00. 

“Screw a cap on two of the 30-in pieces and 
run it full of lead, and make generating coils 
by winding on a 1^-inch mandrel. Connect 
as shown in cut. Generate with about two 
teaspoonfuls of gasoline in a litte cup hung 
to the rod underneath coils. Have jets focus 
about 7 inches from coils. The vents in mine 
are 3-64 in. The stand is made of two pieces 
of 2x4 joist, an iron rod and a piece of 16 
guage iron 8x12, having 4 inches turned up, 
as shown in Fig. 2. It takes just 30 inches to 
make the coils, which should be about 8 
inches apart. I have no parts to sell, but 
will give anyone further pointers gratis if 
they will send stamp for reply.” 

BRAZING 

In order to thoroughly understand the art 
of brazing, it is necessary to fully comprehend 
the principles involved, and to know just ex¬ 
actly what is accomplished by a skilled 
brazier when he unites two or more pieces of 
steel or other metal. The workman should 
learn how to accomplish certain results and 
why these results are accomplished. 

The requisite appliances for brazing are 
few. One must have a forge of some kind, 
some spelter, some borax and a few files—the 
fewer the better. The furnace may be the 
old blacksmith’s forge or a modern brazing 
furnace. The better the furnace the better 
the result, but a careful workman will do 
better work with an old forge than a careless 
workman will do with the best possible sur¬ 
roundings. The heat must be clear, smoke¬ 
less and regular. Brazing furnaces are not 
difficult to make, neither are they expensive. 
The material must be good. Solder for cycle 
brazing work is of two kinds, and these are 
generally known as the granulated and the 
wire forms. The granulated or spelter form 







varies considerably. Brazing wire should not 
be hard and stiff. The softer the wire the 
easier it will melt and the less danger there 
will be of overheating the tubing; if the 
tubing is overheated or burned, the parts are 
weakened. If the brazing wire is too soft, 
the joint will be less rigid than it should be. 
Granulated spelter should be thoroughly 
washed in water, cleanliness beiDgan import¬ 
ant part of the operation. 

The spelter can only be made to flow where 
a flux has preceded it, hence the importance 
of securing the most serviceable article. 
Borax is most generally used for a flux, and it 
nmy be obtained in several forms, Plain 
borax is that which has been dried, or borax 
may have been melted and broken to the 
form of a coarse powder or granules ; this has 
had all the water taken out of it and thus 
forms a good covering for the steel, The for¬ 
mer bubbles when subjected to heat. The 
two combined are generally used. The object 
of the flux is to protect the surfaces* of the 
metal from the flame and to keep it perfectly 
clean. Without perfect cleanliness, the joint 
cannot be effected, and no solder can unite the 
steel surfaces in a metallic union if foreign 
substances intervene. The borax must be 
ground to a fine powder. The reason why 
borax is the best flux is because heat will not 
evaporate or dissipate it, while it flows almost 
as readily as water. 

The spelter and borax must be mixed to¬ 
gether very thoroughly before being put into 
the joint, and in about equal proportions. 
A slight excess of borax will do no harm. No 
two workman mix the ingredients alike ; each 
has a way of his own which he thinks better 
than any other. 

Too much stress cannot be placed upon the 
vital point of cleanliness of the parts to be 
brazed. The joints must also be perfect in 
union. The tighter the joint the better the 



spelter will unite the two surfaces. If too 
tight, some workmen file grooves on the out- j 
side of the inner tube. This practice is not 
commended by good workmen unless the 
grooves are filed spirally around the tube. 
The reason why the joints should be tight is 
that when the plug is so much thicker than 
the tube, as soon as both get hot enough to 
melt the spelter, the tube expands enough to 
let the spelter go in bet ween, so that it is scarce¬ 
ly necessary to have these grooves. Learn¬ 
ers should experiment on odd pieces of tubing i 
that have no commercial value, and when 1 
they feel that they are efficient, they can do 
more important work. The tube, if one inch 
in diameter, should be inserted fully one inch ■ 
into the lug. The wider the tube the greater ; 
the necessity of inserting it further into the 
lug. Pin the tubes together with wire to hold 
them firmly in position, for applied heat is 
apt to change the relation of the parts heated. 

Having now progressed far enough, and 
obtained a joint all ready to braze, we must ! 
return to the forge. The best heat obtain¬ 
able for brazing is gas, and, if possible, natural 
gas. Gasoline conveys impurities with it into 
the joints. Gas can be handled to better ad¬ 
vantage than anything else, and the heat can 
be controlled with the greatest ease. A forge 
fire is apt to burn the tubes. Most repairmen 
must depend, however, on gasoline; its ob¬ 
jections are not insurmountable, and its 
action is generally satisfactory. We must 
presuppose that the operator has selected 
his forge from one of the many in the mar¬ 
ket, or has made one for himself on approved 
plans. No man should attempt to make a 
forge unless he understands some of the 
principles involved in the work to be done 
on it. The main point is that it be capable 
of giving all the necessary heat. A small one 
will do as good work as a large one, provider 
the flame from it will cover and thoroughly f 








heat the joints to be brazed. 

Where the bottom of the lug is closed so 
that the solder cannot run through, it is 
better to braze from the inside and to insert 
the charge before heat is applied. An im¬ 
portant detail before both ends of a tube are 
closed, is to bore a small hole in the tube to 
permit the escape of the gas generated by 
the spelter and borax. A large teaspoonful 
of spelter is sufficient for a 1-inch joint; an 
experienced operator may need more, while 
a practical workman will use much less. In 
the case of a closed joint, the spelter must 
be put in before the tubes are put together, 
or before the tube is inserted in the lug. 
The joint is now placed on the table or 
hearth, where the heat is to be applied, 
the tube standing erect and built all round 
with abestos, space only being left to blow 
the heat down into the joint. Instead of 
abestos, fire bricks are used by some work¬ 
men, those made of cast iron and perforated 
being preferred to those made of clay. Some 
build coke on the table and thus surround 
the joint while under heat. This plan has 
the same disadvantages, though in a less 
degree, that the old forge fire has. 

The joint must be thoroughly heated 
through, and the flame kept as constant as 
possible on all sides of it. On inside brazing 
it is necessary to begin above the charge and 
gradually work downward, so that the top 
of the spelter maybe melted first. The steel 
will soon become a bright red, and the borax, 
being the first to melt, will convey the spel¬ 
ter into every interstice of the joint. The 
ability to distinguish between the borax and 
the spelter will soon come to the novice, and 
this knowledge can only be gained by experi¬ 
ence. More spelter can be added as necess¬ 
ary. A common way is to have a hot wire 
flattened out and with it pick up more spel¬ 
ter and drop it where necessary, or addition- 



al spelter may be dusted on with the fingers, 
in this case the spelter already in place will | 
not be disturbed. 

Having filled the joint thoroughly, it may j 
be takmi from the furnace and at once brush¬ 
ed over with a wire brush to remove all the 
superfluous flux. This may be done with a file, 
but, as hinted before, the less filing the tube 
is subjected to the better, besides which this 
work is ruinous to any file. 

In cases where it is necessary to insert a 
lug inside the tube, the importance of draw¬ 
ing the spelter through until it appears on • 
the outside cannot be emphasized too much. 
A piece of flattened iron wire, heated to a , 
cherry red and dipped in borax may be appli¬ 
ed all around the outside of tne joint to ad¬ 
vantage, repeating the operation as often as 
may be necessary. This will invariably draw 
the spelter through. Usually, however, the 
tube goes inside the lug, and in this case, 
while it is next to impossible to make the 
spelter rise through the joint until it appears 
on the outside, the workman may remember 
that it is of less importance in this case, as 
more spelter can be applied easily, and this 
will run down and unite with the spelter in 
the joint. It is very important that the 
joint shall be thoroughly brazed all the way 
through and all the way around. Experi¬ 
ence alone will guide the worker as to the 
perfection to which he has attained. It is 
well to do all the work quietly and coolly. 
Take time to do it thoroughly. If a little of 
the spelter is wasted, never mind. In course 
of time the novice will attain perfection, but 
it may come slowly. When quite sure that 
the spelter has filled all parts of the joint— 
and not till then—the frame can be removed 
from the furnace, allowing it to cool gradu- i 
ally, and taking care that the parts are not ) 
disturbed until the spelter is thoroughly set. 
To disturb the spelter at this stage means a f 






bad joint. 

When the bottom of the lug is not closed, 
it is necessary to braze from the outside only. 
This is done either with the brazing wire or 
with a brazing spoon or ladle, in the follow¬ 
ing manner : Build the fire around the joint 
as before, but blow the gas on the thickest 
part of the metal first in order to get it all 
heated through evenly. The wire or spoon 
must also be heated thoroughly in order to 
make it take up the spelter. When the steel 
has attained a bright cherry red heat, use 
the spoon to put the spelter into the joint, 
continuing to blow the gas on both steel and 
spelter until first the borax and then the 
brass begins to melt and flow down into the 
joint. For outside brazing, the mouth of the 
lug should be filed out to a slightly tunneled 
shape; a small groove will thus be formed 
serving as a channel in which the spelter 
will more readily flow, otherwise a large 
quantity of the spelter will flow over and 
waste. 

Sometimes it may be found necessary or 
desirable to braze malleable iron and steel 
together. Ip this case the same spelter will 
scarcely accomplish the desired result. Use 
copper instead of brass, and then proceed as 
before ; the result will be a much stronger 
joint. Nevertheless it is well to remember 
that it will require much greater heat in 
- order to accomplish a perfect joint. 

Enameling Oven. 

J. W. Cooper, Moline, Ill, sends in details 
of an enameling oven that should prove of 
great interest to repairmen. Mr. Cooper 
made one for himself, and says that any tin¬ 
ner can make one. He writes. “ I have an 
enameling oven that does good work and 
consider it one of the best things I have 
in the shop, while it takes but little room. 
It is clean and can be placed up against the 


57 





wall. The dimensions are 8 inches thick by 
4 feet 0 inches long and 3 feet high. It is 
made of No. 20 black iron. The flange on 
the front is wired all around to stiffen it and 
to form wire for hinge ; doors are flat, with 
a heavy box bead on the three sides to stiffen 
them, with enough metal Jeft on one for the 



other to lap over and hold tight. The oven 
doors close against the flange on front of 
oven and are held close by dropping a 1-inch 
gas pipe in the lugs. In the bottom of oven 
is a 6-inch hole, and to prevent the flames 
striking frame I have a strip of iron 8 inches 
wide and 3 feet long fastened 4 inches above 
the hole so as to spread flame. This strip is 
bent so that ends are about 8 inches above 
center. I have a small hole in top for my 
thermometer, so I do not have to open doors 'I 
to see how hot the oven is. The whole is 
covered with three thicknesses of abestos 
paper to hold heat, and I can hold my hand 
on oven at any time when thermometer is 
300°. The oven is heated with a gasoline 
stove made from a XX 6-quart, deep tin pan. 
Solder a bottom in close to the wire, then 
invert pan and put a £-inchgas pipe through 
center and extend to within 4-inch of bottom ; 
let the other end extend above the pan about 
5 inches and put on an ordinary gasoline 

































burner. Solder stop-cock in at one edge of 
pan to connect pump for pressure. The bi- 
cyle frame after being enameled is hung in 
oven, and with heat at 300° can be taken out 
in two hours when the enamel will be found 
hard enough for all purposes.” 

Another Enameling Oven. 

W. Hafer, Augusta, Ky., writes: “ My 
notion of a cheap oven is to take an ordinary 
cannon stove ; take off the top, then take a 
boiler plate the size you want the bottom of 
the oven to be. Cut a hole in the center of 
plate to fit over top of stove ; then build out¬ 
side jacket, using the boiler plate for a bot¬ 
tom, leaving top off jacket. Now build the 
oven out of No. 22 iron, making oven 8 inches 
smaller than the jacket. Put legs top and 
bottom, and each side and back of oven ; then 
set oven inside of the jacket, the legs hold¬ 
ing oven and jacket apart, making a space 
of 4 inches between oven and jacket all 
around. Now put a top on jacket, making a 
hole in center of top for the stove pipe. 
Make two doors, 4 inches thick, to take in 
whole front of oven. The oven must be tight 
to prevent the smoke in getting in as it pass¬ 
es up between jacket and oven. I have used 
an oven of this kind with the best satisfac¬ 
tion for years. It is the cheapest and best 
oven for a repair shop, and any tinner can 
make one. 

Removing Dents From Tubes. 

To take out a dent in a steel tube, I drill 
a small hole, say from ten to sixteen Bir¬ 
mingham wire guage, according to size and 
depth of dent, then cut a thread in the hole 
and screw in a tool steel plug, letting pro¬ 
trude about 1| inches, this I grasp with a 
hand vise and so far have been able to draw 
the dent back to place without much trouble. 
I then remove the steel plug and screw in its 
place a piece of soft iron to fill up the hole. 
When through I only have a small round 



spot to touch up with liquid enamel- 

A good plan lor taking a dent out of a 
steel tubing is to drill a small hole on the 
side of the tube opposite to the dent, using , 
a No. 60 drill, and inserting a round-faced 
punch through the tube, tapping it lightly 
and moving the point, until dent is removed. 
The hole can easily be plugged with brass 
wire and touched with enamel. 

To remove a dent in tube without taking 
frame aj3art, drill a small hole in dent, heat 
dent in forge, slip a spoke (with its end bent 
into a hook) through the hole and pull out 
the dented tube. Plug up the hole and file 
smooth. 

Riding in the Rain 

The care a wheel receives largely deter¬ 
mines its life. When caught in a shower or 
obliged to ride in the rain, the wheel should 
be cleaned as soon as possible ; get the water 
off the nickel work at once and dry by the 
fire or in the sun. Dampness will soon de¬ 
velop unsightly spots of rust on the best of 
plating. Keep dust and sand off the chain, 
or it will destroy itself. If a gritty sound is 
heard in the bearings, clean at once; sand 
has found its way to them. If obliged to 
ride in rain and mud, slacken chain and use 
plenty of oil. This will often prevent the 
bending of a rear fork. 

A Warning. 

In speaking of the Birmingham, Eng., 
method of brazing, refers to the use of fluoric 
acid. The writer of the article in question 
is an expert, and thoroughly understands 
the subject and possibly handles this dead¬ 
ly acid under great precautions instinctively. 
A word of caution is necessary, however, to 
repairmen. Its fumes deal out death to all 
animal life ; hence the utmost care should 
be taken in handling fluoric or hydrofluoric 
acid, even though it be purchased in but 
quarter-ounce lots. 




More about Brazing. 

As soon as a joint is thoroughly brazed, it 
should be taken from the fire and brushed 
with a metal brush. A file should not be 
used ; first, because it injures the tubing, and 
second, because it ruins the file. The habit 
of some braziers in pickling the joint is ob¬ 
jectionable, as acids will invariably prove 
detrimental to the joint as well as to the 
steel in the tubing. Every care must be 
taken to avoid a weakening of the frame in 
any part. It stands to reason that the acid 
that will effect the superfluous spelter will 
also act upon the joint, while a weakening * 
of one part of the tubing weakens the wheel. 

All through the various operations it is 
important that no more heat be applied than 
is absolutely necessary. The tubes, being 
thin, burn somewhat readily, and as soon as 
burning commences, a manifest weakening 
of the metal is evident. 

Screw threads in close proximity to a joint 
must be protected. This can be done by 
appljung either black lead or clay, graphite 
or black lead being preferred, as the clay is 
apt to crack and allow the spelter to unite 
on the threads; from which it will be found 
difficult to remove it. 

It may be mentioned that there are vari¬ 
ous substitutes for borax as a flux. Borax 
has been advised here because it is cheap 
and readily obtainable anywhere. There 
are various compounds and preparations, 
any one of which may or may not be better 
than borax. Borax makes a good flux, and 
by its use some of the best examples of braz¬ 
ing have been effected. A great many braz¬ 
iers use and prefer boracic acid. At the 
recent shows a new substitute for borax was 
exhibited. These doubtless have some merit, 
but these papers have dealt with well known 
and well-tried methods, and have not advised 
experiments of any kind. 





Continuation of Brazing. 

Solidity in a joint results from perfect 
union only, and all efforts must be directed 
to accomplish this end. Closely followed, 
these instructions will place any repairman 
“ on his feet ” in the art of brazing, and the 
rest will be gained by the only successful 
tutor—experience. 

How to Make a Good Brazier at Little Cost. 

Mr. R. R. Walker, of Parsons, Kan., writes 
as follows: 

“ Make a tank out of boiler iron that will 
hold about (5 gallons and stand about 150 
pounds pressure; attach an air pump and 
steam guage to it, also a screw plug on top 
for filling it. Connect it from the bottom 
with i in. pipe with valve. Run the pipe 
about 6 feet away from the tank. For a 
generator and burner, use a common coil of 



4-inch pipe 4 inches long and about 1 inch 
space on inside; let the flame burn down¬ 
ward on a small cast iron block. With your 
tank one-lialf full of gasoline and fifty 
pounds pressure, it will melt brass in a few 
minutes, and I find that it is very good for 
brazing bicycles with and equal'to natural 
gas. I am using one of my own make, and it 
works finely, and any reader of Wheel Talk 
who desires more information can have same 
by addressing me.” 

















QUICK REPAIR TIRE. 




No. 1. No. 2. 

Be sure that the needle-plug is screwed 
fully into the nozzle, so that it will form a 
smooth, sharp point with the nozzle, before 
putting it into the puncture. See No. 2. 




No. 3. 


No. 4. 


Do not put the nozzle into the puncture 
until the tire has been inflated to riding 






pressure, and then see that it ]|oes up to the 
cup. See No. 2. 

In unscrewing the needle-plug, see that the 
air comes out through the nozzle with a 
strong hissing noise. If no air comes out, the 
point of the nozzle has not entered the inner 
tube. See No. 3. 

Screw the needle back into the nozzle, and 
press down firmly, giving the nozzle a screw¬ 
ing turn. Then unscrew the needle, which 
will permit the air to rush forth. 

In filling up the cup with cement, see that 
it is completely filled, see No. 4, and not 
merely across the top. Then see that the 
butt end of the needle-plug is screwed in as 
far as it will go, so that all the cement will be 
forced inside the air tube. 

It is important that the inflowdng cement 
be forced directly upward, so that it will fall 
evenly around the puncture. Otherwise the 


No. 6. 

patch will be made at one side of the punc¬ 
ture instead of directly over it. See No. 5. 

Be careful to spread the cement all around 
the puncture when pressing with the thumb, 
See No, 7. 

After making a repair, test by wetting the 



spot. If the air still escapes, partly deflate 
the tire, and press down firmly once more. 

If air escapes slowly after repair is made, 
do not again insert needle into the puncture, 
as the second insertion would pierce the 
patching ply. The air probably escapes from 
between the casing and the inner tube, and 
noleakage is likely to be noticed after the tire 
is fully inflated. If there is a leakage, how¬ 
ever, partially deflate the tire and again press 
upon the punctured spot. 

No. 7. 

Turn the wdieel 
so the puncture will 
be at the highest 
point. Spread the 
cement by pressure. 
Then half-inflate 
the tire and press 
the spot down to 
the rim again. 
Then inflate com¬ 
pletely. 

Should the rider be unable to locate a 
puncture it will be because of its small size. 
As the air will escape very slowly, he w T ill be 
able to ride home, wdiere he can take out the 
air tube, put it into water, find the puncture 
and repair it at leisure. 

If the puncture is small, the nozzle may be 
inserted more readily if its point is wet. 

Should other repairs than punctures be¬ 
come necessary, this inner tube can be pulled 
put of the casing as easily as can the regular 
inner tube, as no cement gets between tube 
.and casing when the nozzle is used in repair¬ 
ing. 

This tire can also be repaired the same as 
other double tube laced tires. 

Do not twist the quick-repair tube when 

65 




drawing it into the outer casing. 

Cement should be about as thick as mo¬ 
lasses. Keep cap of tube screwed down 
tightly, or the cement will evaporate until it 
is too thick to use. 



No. 8. 


Side view of repaired tire. 



A Convenient Stand. 

Here is a device which 
will be found very conven¬ 
ient for holding tire while 
1 removing tube. Take a 
'steel rim, cutaway a piece 
and bend slightly at the 
ends, as shown, Make the 
two bases A A, rivet them 
to rim and screw to some 
convenient post in shop. 
It will save a world of 
annoyance in removing 
tubes. 



























GUARANTEE FOR 1896 


We shall continue in 1896 our custom of re¬ 
pairing all tires of our manufacture free of 
charge. 

We shall replace defective parts when, 
in our judgment, the defect is from our 
fault. In no case will we replace when 
worn out in service or injured by accident. 

Make your request direct to us, and 
not through the makers of your wheel. 

Express charges on tires must be pre¬ 
paid in every instance. If return by mail 
is desired, postage at the rate of one cent 
per ounce must come with request for re¬ 
pairs. 

Do not send the wheel with the tire. 

See that every package sent has your 
address securely fastened to package. 

Before sending to us kindly attempt the 
repair yourself, so that our efforts may be 
directed to assist those really in need. 

It is a good idea for riders to buy an extra 
inner tube, complete with valve, and keep 
same ready for use. The small expense 
will save delay and insure many a pleasant 
day’s sport. 

Any pneumatic tire ever made, or to be 
made, will some time need repairs, and will 
ultimately wear out in service. Don’t for¬ 
get this when reading advertisements. 

All genuine Morgan & Wright tires have 
the firm name and the patent dates in raised 
letters on the side. All others are imitations 
or infringements, and the public is warned 
against them. 

The Morgan & Wright tires are made 
upon honor, of the very best materials ob¬ 
tainable in the world.' They have proved 
during the past four years to be far the most 
durable tires ever produced, and have to 
their credit more hard fought road records 
and extraordinarily long rides than all 
other makes put together. 

MORGAN & WRIGHT 

January, 1896. 




To Find a Leak. 

Inflate tire and test valve and stem as 
follows. Immerse valve and stem in bottle or 
g;lass of water, the tires being inflated and in 
position shown in fig. 1. If bubbles form, 
note carefully where they start. They will 
show leaks in one of three points—through 
the valve, between the valve and stem, or 
through the stem. If valve leaks, pump a 



few drops of water through it. If leak con¬ 
tinues, attach pump, cut string, pull out 
valve and insert new plunger or washer. No 
other part of valve can leak. Wet valve in 
water before replacing. Tie tight and test 
again to make sure that there is no leak. If 
leak is bet ween valve and stem, tie valve in 
tighter. Do not try to fix a leaky stem—get 
a new one. Remove stem by working benzine 
under its base on point of knife, being careful 
not to cut rubber, or hold a warm piece of 
iron on base, not hot enough to burn. 
Clean base of stem and part of tube to which 
it is to be fastened, by scraping or rubbing 
with benzine. Apply one or two coats of so¬ 
lution and let dry thoroughly before putting 
stem in place. Press the stem on so it will stick 












To Fasten Tire Tape. 



Let some of the air out of the tire, wrap 
tight, then inflate and go ahead. By wrapping 
it when tight it never sticks so well. 

To Remove Inner Tube. 

Take wheel from machine, deflate tire, and 
crowd it off wheel, beginning on side opposite 
valve Notice how tire is laced. Then cut 
lacing and expose canvas which coversendof 
inner tube. Peel this off carefully and sepa¬ 
rate the ends. Hold tire with foot by middle 
opposite laced portion, and pull the ends of 
tube till you see that tube is loose from inside 
of casing as far as the foot. Loosen the other 
half of tube in same manner* Remove tube 
by valve end, after carefully replacing the 
other end in casing so it will not rub against 
laced portion, holding tire with foot as above 
and being careful not to compress it between 
foot and floor. Jerk a little as you pull, but 














not too much. If tube sticks, pound tire 
hard on floor. Loosen each half as before 
instructed and try again to remove. Do not 
pour any liquid in casing. 

To Test Inner Tube for Leak. 

Inflate tube very carefully and no longer 
than when inside of casing. Immerse in wa¬ 
ter, stretching so as to open small holes and 
make leaks perceptible. Leaks will be shown 
by bubbles. If you are on the road, with no 
water handy, stretch tire and pass it close to 
your cheek, or near dust in the road, and 
see the effect, thus locating the leak. 

To Patch Inner Tube. 

Gently scrape the tube for an inch around 
leak. Cut patch of sheet rubber the size 
of scraped surface and clean one side. Apply 
rubber solution to both cleaned surfaces and 
let dry until benzine is evaporated. This 
will take from one to ten minutes, depending 
on thickness of solution and condition of the 
air. Apply patch on tube and press the two 
together until a good joint is formed. Be 
sure there are no other leaks, and, if tested 
in water, see that the tube is dry before put¬ 
ting back in casing. 

To Replace Inner Tube In Casing. 

If the tube came out hard, drop a handful 
of powdered soapstone or French chalk in¬ 
side the casing and shake it all around before 
putting tube in again. This material can be 
bought at any drug store. Attach a stone, 
nail, pocket knife or other weight to one end 
of a large, soft string and drop into casing. 
Turn casing so weight will travel around and 
carry string through. Attach string to end 
of tube(not valve end), and draw in tube, 
being careful not to twist. Have ends over¬ 
lap each other eight or ten inches. 




Cover with 
canvas strip, so 
tube cannot blow 
through lace holes. 
Lace up tire, sew¬ 
ing straight across, 
same as laced at 
first. Apply a little 
solution to old ce¬ 
ment on rim, set 
tire straight and 
inflate. If experi¬ 
enced in repairing 
tires you can re¬ 
move tube without 
taking tire off 
wheel by loosening 
a few inches each 
side of valve and 


crowding this 
off rim (as 
shown in Fig. 
8 and 4.) If 
tube sticks it 
will be best to 
remove tire 
from wheel, 
especially 
when you are 
miles away 
from home, 
where it 
would be in¬ 
convenient to 
break tube in 
half. 


















TO REPAIR INNER TUBE THROUGH BURST CASING. 


If casing bursts, 
pull loop of tube 
through opening, 
slip stick under to 
hold it, and patch 
in regular way. 
(See Fig. 5 and di¬ 
rections for patch¬ 
ing.) Crowd tube 
back in, partly in¬ 
flate and bind with 
tire tape, being sure 
to cover an inch or 
two beyond cut on 
each side. Finish 
inflating and tube 
cannot slip. A tire 
thus repaired can be ridden a long distance. 



SINGLE TUBE TIRES. 


The simplest form of temporary repair, 

' and one which, in nine cases out of ten, will 

serve the rider for 
the remainder of 
his trip, is simply 
an application to 
the punctnre of a 
small piece of chew¬ 
ing gum covered by 
a firm bandage of 
tape ’round tire and 
rim over a space of 

at least one inch on each side of the puncture. 

If a temporary repair such as has been 
described will not suffice to meet the necess- 





















ities of the occasion 
a permanent repair 
can be made on tlie 
road with as much 
ease as though at 



A 


L 


When a tire deflates on the road, examine 
the valve. If the valve is all right, look for 
a puncture. This is generally easy to find. 
Now get out the repair kit, heat the wire 
probe as highly as possible with a match and 

sear the puncture to a 
smooth, round hole. 
This is done to provide 
f^an even, clean surface, 
— between which and the 
plug the solution will 
form a more perfect 
bond. Now clean the 
tire about the punc¬ 
ture, inside and out, 
with a small piece of 
rag held in the pliers; 
take a rubber plug of 
the proper size and 
grasp it with the pliers 

previously attached a 
as a safeguard against 


4 


as shown, having 
string to the stem 


losing the plug inside the tire while with¬ 
drawing the pliers ; cover plug and plier tips 

well with the solu¬ 
tion, and push the 
plug firmly into the 
puncture until all 
but the stem has 
disappeared. Next 
withdraw the pliers 
simply releasing 
the pressure of the 
grasp and pulling 
them out of the tire; 
the siring safe- 



















guard mayor may not have been of use, but 
it is best to be on the safe side. Now screw 
the sharp pointed nipple on to the solution 
tube, insert it through the puncture hole 
beside the plug stem ; turn the wheel so that 
the puncture is at the bottom, and then 
squeeze about one-eightli of the solution into 
the tire. Withdraw the nipple and, grasp¬ 
ing the plug stem with finger and thumb or 
pliers, twist the plug around several times so 
as to spread the solution evenly about the 

patch. Now 
inflate the 
tire, keep- 
ing the 



puncture at the bottom of the wheel, and 
allow it to stand in that position, if possible, 
for about five minutes, so that all the solution 
injected may settle closely around the edge 
of the patch. At the end of the five minutes 
specified, test the repair for a leak ; if air¬ 
tight, cut of the plug stem just above the tire 

surface, and the tire is 
ready for use. If the re¬ 
pairs is not perfect, deflate 
the tire, inject a little more 
solution, observing the 
previous directions on this 
subject, and let the wheel 
stand again, puncture at 
bottom, as before. 

Occasionally when a tire 
is punctured by a nail or 
other sharp 



-POROSlNGLETuBEfiRr 

1' \ ljr Ht ftUttfOUO RUBBER WORKS CO. 



object, this 
penetrates the 
opposite wall of 
the tire. As a 
rule the punc¬ 


ture is through the inner tube to the canvas 
only ; but this is sufficient to allow the air to 
escape along the threads. This internal 











puncture on the rim side of the tire should, if 
suspected, receive attention before the real 
puncture is repaired. A liberal supply of 
solution applied with the external puncture 
at the highest point, instead of at the lowest 
as is usual, will remedy the trouble. After 
inserting the solution, press the walls of the 
tire together, and with a rolling motion dis¬ 
tribute the solution over the interior. This 

_ —s. forces the solution 
'-- \ into 


V. 


the minute 

„ ■onmmm and as 

I the solution evapo- 
' rates it forms a thin 


airtight coating 

over the injured portion of 
the inner tube. As the intern¬ 
al puncture in some cases 
may be at an angle from the 
external puncture, instead of 
directly opposite, it is well to 
spread the solution injected 

over a fair sized surface by pressing and 
rubbing the walls together as above ex¬ 
plained. The external puncture should then 
be repaired in the ordinary way. 

Should the tire, when 
inflated after being re¬ 
paired as above, still show 
evidence of a leak, it is 
apparent that the object 
creating the puncture 
. has penetrated deeply in- 
" to the opposite wall, and 
has lacerated the fabric 
too seriously for the solu¬ 
tion to repair. It is nec¬ 
essary to find this weak 
spot by first rolling the 
tire from the rim and 
then taking a blunt probe 
and pressing firm upon 









the under surface of the inflated tire. With 
a little care and persistence the puncture will 
be located, as the probe will suddenly pene¬ 
trate the outer covering of rubber wherever 
the fabric has been injured, and a sudden 
rush of air will announce the discovery. It 
will then be necessary to insert a plug as 
described for the repair of ordinary punc¬ 
tures, and the tire can then be cemented to 
the rim in the usual manner. 

Unless such interior puncture be repaired 
as described, the air will work along the 
threads of the fabric and 

« - x emerge at every slight open- 

v ]ing in the outer wall, almost 
] ] giving the impression that 

the tire is porous. This form 
^ of puncture rarely occurs, but 
it is well to warn against it. 
When possible, it is really advisable to 
allow a repaired tire to stand for fifteen 
minutes, but in an emergency this may be 
omitted. The solution furnished in their 
repair kit is of the proper composition and 
consistency and should be used in preference 
to all others. These directions will answer 
for all single tube tires. 


To Patch a Large Hole. 

A hole in the outer casing of a double-tube 
tire may be patched by inserting a single-tube 
patching plug the same way you would in a 
single-tube tire. 


When an outer casing is cut badly or broken 
at joint, repair it as follows: Slit shoe open 
on under side so as to give room to get at part 
cut; take a glovers needle and stitch up, using 
baseball stitch, and not stitching through 
rubber but taking good, deep stitch through 
canvas. Cement outside with tube cement, 
and shoe will last as long there as any part of 
tire. 


THE STANDARD TIRES 



These are the tires that have 
convinced the whole cycling 
world that Single Tubes are 
safest, simplest, best 
There are imitations in plenty, 
but Hartfords are standard. 

Made by 

THE HARTFORD RUBBER WORKS CO. 

HARTFORD, CONN. 


BRANCH HOUSES. 

100 Chambers St., New York 

335 Wabash Ave., Chicago 

18-24 Main St., San Francisco. 








of handling will make the change clear. 
Place the edge of the outer case having the 
wide flap in its place in the rim first. 

Next insert the valve and lay the air tube 
on top of the flap, all the way round. The 
air should be all extracted from the tube be¬ 
fore it is put in place. Push the remaining 
edge of the outer cover under the flap, (which 


1896 G. Sl J. TIRES. 

The 1896 G. & J. 
tire is exactly like 
that of the past 
year, excepting 
that a wide stiff¬ 
ened flap is pro¬ 
vided which a b- 
solutely protects 
the air tube from 
being pinched or 
punctured by 
spoke joints and 
nipple heads. 

The following description of the method 







projects slightly over the rim) and firmly 
into its place in the rim. The corrugations 
have also been modified from three to five, 
<thus providing a thickened thread without 
the stiffness of surface that has heretofore 
been considered unavoidable. The same 
wood rim used in 1896 that has proven so 
successful in the year past. 

To Repair a Puncture. 

Inflate the tire and examine the outside 
carefully, to find the place where the punc¬ 
ture occurred, if possible. 

It is not necessary to remove the wheel 
from the bicycle, 

In most cases the puncture may be easily 
found in the outer case, as the air makes a 
slight hissing sound in escaping. Care 
should be exercised, however, as a very small 
hole is sufficient to let out the air, and may 
be easily overlooked. 

Having found the puncture, if there is air 
left in the tire, deflate entirely at the valve. 

Grasp the tire from the right side, one hand 
each side of the puncture. 

Observe that on the left side is lettered on 
the tire, “Apply this edge last, and remove 
it first.” 


Push with thumbs, 
raising the locking 
edge free from the 
rim at the same time. 
The edge should be 

freed for a distance of one or tw r o feet. 
Draw the whole tire towards you until the 
near edge of the outer case slips out over 
the rim. 

The inner tube can now be easily pulled 
down and out. 

It is not necessary to pull off the whole tire. 
If the puncture cannot be found, remove the 
entire right side of the outer case from the 
rim, and draw out the inner tube. 

Don’t take the wheel out of the frame to 








dR 



If there is a leak at the valve the trouble 
must be where it is fastened to the air tube, 
or at the cap. 

To Find a Leak in the Cap. 

Insert the valve stem in the neck of a 
bottle or glass filled with water, if convenient 
or wet the joint of the cap with soap water 
or saliva. If bubbles occur, remove the 
cap and turn the packing. If this does not 
stop the leak, the packing is worn and should 
be renewed. 

The packing in the cap seats on top of the 
valve stem, thus preventing the escape of air. 
It should seat evenly and tightly all around. 

If the leak occurs at the point where the 
valve is joined to the tube, the valve washer 
is either torn, and should be replaced, or the 
valve is not screwed tightly to it. 

Sometimes the valve will not admit air, or 
allows the air to rush out when pump is re¬ 
moved. This is because the air passage in 
the stem is stopped up with dirt, or the check 
valve sticks. Unscrew the nut at the bottom 
(a silver dime makes a good screw-driver) and 
take out the check valve. Clean the hole in 
the stem with a piece of twine, wipe the 
valve seat and rubber check, and no more 
trouble will occur. 












get a tire off—remove only the left axle nut 
and spring up the frame or fork. 

To remove the valve (which is attached to 
the inner tube), 

Unscrew the cap. Re- 
Open the latch, move the check nut. 



No. 1. No. 2. 


Push the valve stem through the rim. Do 
not try to pull it by means of the air tube. 
The inner tube now being free, screw on the 
pump and partly inflate the inner tube. 
A little larger than the natural size of the tire. 
Take enough water (in a basin or bucket, if 
no other means are convenient) to entirely 
cover a section of the tube. Submit the en¬ 
tire length to the test, a portion of the time, 
including the valve, stretching the sides of 
the tube with the fingers to enlarge any 
supposed opening. 

Whenever a small stream of bubbles arises 
there is a leak. If no water is near, pass in¬ 
flated tube past the ear and listen for a hiss¬ 
ing sound, indicating an escape of air. 

Mark the place well ; dry the tube and re¬ 
pair. The repair pa.tch won’t stick if the 
tube is not dry when it is applied. 

The Valve 

Is very simple, and there is no part of it 
that cannot begotten at readily by anybody. 
It is practically a hollow brass stem with a 
check valve to keep the air from rushing out 
when the pump is removed, before the cap 
can be screwed on; and a cap which per¬ 
manently prevents the escape of air. The 
following description should enable anyone 
to correct any difficulty that may occur. 

81 







ANY 

Bicycle 

WILL BE SUPPLIED 

with G. & J. TIRES 

If You Insist. 




















The Rule of the Road. 

While it is perfectly true that wheelmen 
are subjected to great inconveniences and 
wrongs by roa d hogs in heavier vehicles, this 
is no excuse for those riders who habitually 
disregard the rules of the road themselves 
and place the lives and limbs of themselves 
and others in jeopardy. This inexcusable 
carelessness or ignorance on the part of 
cyclists is responsible for most of the acci¬ 
dents chargeable to the bicycle. 

A carriage driver or horseman who should 
• fail to turn to the right on meeting another 
carriage or horsema n, or who should go some¬ 
times one way and sometimes the other, 
could not complain if he came to grief on the 
road, or if he was mulcted in heavy damages 
for accidents caused to others. Why, then, 
should bicycle riders be permitted to dodge 
hither and thither on the road, disconcerting 
drivers, riders and pedestrians? The rules 
of the road are made for all and should be 
obeyed by all, irrespective of their person¬ 
ality, their position or the particular kind of 
mount on which they offended. 

It is to wheelmen one should look for good 
examples of citizenship, for they are gener¬ 
ally accredited with the possession of sound 
sense. 

A Makeshift Chain Adjustment. 

A rider whose chain stretched to an extent 
utterly impossible in an ordinary well be¬ 
haved machine, found that the screw of the 
adjustment had become hopelessly bent, and 
therefore the nut would not move either up 
or down. So cutting a piece of wood to the 
required size and shape he fixed the slot of 
the backstay at the length required to hold 
the spindle in position, and screwing up the 
spindle nut effected a perfectly satisfactory 
adjustment. Indeed, the wheel ran for some 
weeks with that piece of wood holding it in. 







THE ORIENT is a Qnnairantee 

FOR 
Light 
Repair 
Bills. 


The Waltham Mfg» C©„ 9 
24© Br©aday 9 New Y©rk City., 


Branches: Boston, Waltham, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, 
Brooklyn, Providence, New York. 



New Principle. Will not Sag. 


Best 


Philada 



Strictly : 
High Grade 
Fully 

_ Guaranteed. 

Adjusted either hard or soft in one minute 
without removing from the wheel. 

ZENITH CYCLE SADDLE CO., 

DISSTON BUILDINGS, Front and Laurel Sts-. PHILA., PA. 


Oak Tanned 
Leather. 






A New Crank Puller. 


I have not failed to oust 
anything in the shape of a 
crank that has come into 
my shop. The screw is f- 
inch, and has a handle 6 
inches long, welded on. 
Screws and nuts are ma¬ 
chine steel; the jaws are of 
the best tool steel, and the 
ring is Norway, fx£, and 

large enough to slip on over the outside of 
the jams, which taper toward the top end. 
The Ouster fits them all except the Victor. 

Crank Puller. 




The sketch explains itself. 


Removing Cups. 



C. C. Bostwick, Pataskala, O., sends sketch 
of tool he uses for removing cups from hubs. 
He also shows section of hub to explain how 
it works. 

3 in i. 


Having used 3 in 1, I find it the best thing 
for purpose intended. (See adv.) 


















































r 


AS 

WE HAVE SAID 
BEFORE,,, 


Sterling 

Bicycles 


NEED 

NO REPAIRS 


-are 


‘“‘Built Like a Watch” 

and run as easy 

SEND FOR CATALOGUE 

STERLING CYCLE WORKS l 

GENERAL OFFICES: 

274-276-278 WABASH AVENUE 

CHICAGO 

Schoverling, Daly & Gales. 302 B'way, New York. 

^ Pacific Coast Branch, 214 Post. St., San Francisco. ^ 





YOU NEED A CHICAGO GRIP, 

To True Up Your Wheel- 

From all dealers, or sent post¬ 
paid for 75 cents. 

AVERY & JENNESS, 

6245 Oglesby Ave.. 

CHICAGO. 



The Pneumatic‘Corker’, 

effectually closes any puncture 
in any tire. 

The ball is inflated from the 
tire, may be applied in a 
moment and the rider reach his 
destination with safety and ease 


p riC e $'.o°, ANSON SEARU 

byMa "‘ NEWARK, N.J. 



















































DUOLY’S Wheel 
Repair Staed. 

• WITH TRUEINC DEVISE. 



JUST WHAT YOU NEED. 

This apparatus is manufactured to supply a long and urgent 
demand for a practical device to repair and true up a bicycle 
wheel. The new machine bears so many points of excellence 
that it has proven itself a complete and perfect wheel repair 
stand—a tool which should have its place, not alone with the 
repairer, but with every store where ’cycles are handled. Time 
is a factor in the busy season, therefore use our stand and your 
repair work can be done quick and correct. 

PERFECT NIPPLE GRIP. 

SURE GRIP. Fits every 
nipple- Does not wear off the 
corners. 

This Tool will interest you. 

It fills a long felt want for the 
repairmen and wheelmen, 

The grip is made of two sizes. 

No. 1 intended for repairers- 
No. 2 for wheelmen. 

Write for circulars. 

A. DUDLY M'FG. CO., 

MENOMINEE, MICH. 

89 




















CHARTER OAK BICYCLE, $6 


Tool-steel bearings, ground, polished, and dust proof. Frame, 
Shelby seamless steel tubing re-enforced. Connections, steel 
drop forgings throughout. Interchangeable sprocket. Weight, 
23 1-2 lbs. 5 1-2 in. tread. Reversible Bar. Guaranteed for one 
year. Reliable agents wanted. Will send C. O. D , with privilege 
ot examination, on receipt of $10. 


A. H. POMEROY, 

98 Asylum St. HARTFORD, CONN. 





















LAPEL BUTTONS 

anoADVERTISING novelties. 

the WHITEREAD & HOAG 00.. 

NEWARK, N. J. 


STERLING BELLS. 

ONE 
BEST 

THE 

6 St@rMnQo 9 

Thirty=five styles 
and sizes. 

Send for Catalogue. 

N. N. HILL BRASS GO., 

EAST HAMPTON, CONN. 



GET GUP PRICE: 


Wood Rim Cement, Solid Cement, Rubber 
Cement, Outer Case Cement, Chain Lubri¬ 
cant, Tire Tape. 

EXCELSIOR CEMENT CO., 

WESTFIELD, MASS. 
















No Teacher 


ONLY PRACTICAL 

SELF-INSTRUCTOR 


for the 


PIANO 


Necessary. 


Our Light¬ 
ning Method 
is the only re¬ 
liable and practical selLinstructor, enabliug any one to plat 
the piano or organ at sight, and to play the most difficult 
accompaniments to any song or to any other instrument. 
This method is so simple that a child can easily understand. 
Do not confound this with the many so-called Piano Charts, 
but remember this is a practical self-instructor, recommended 
by leading pianists of both continents. Sent prepaid upon 
receipt of 35 cents. 

UNITED STATES MUSIC CO. 


Mention this Paper. 


CINCINNATI, O. 




ANY INSTRUMENT 

WITHOUT A TEACHER. 

By the use of our lettered fingerboard 
and Simplified Instructor, you can learn 
to play either Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo or 
Violin without a teacher. This is the lat¬ 
est musical invention (copyrighted 1895), 
and is positively the only practical sys¬ 
tem of self-instruction. So simple that a 
child can easily understand and play 

EASY PIECES IN A FEW HOURS, 

The greatest difficulty in learning to play is to 
locate the notes on the instrument. This has at last 
been overcome by our lettered fingerboard, which is 
an accurate guide and can be put on any in¬ 
strument in a few minutes by any one. Hav¬ 
ing all the notes in full view before you on 
the fingerboard, you can readily see how 
easy it must be to locate them. Lettered fin¬ 
gerboard and Simplified Instructor for either 
instrument, sent post-paid for Fifty Cents. 

UNITED STATES MUSIC CO., 

Mention this Paper. Cincinnati, O. 


























JUST OUT 



Tttue PONY PREMO 


The IDEAL CAMERA • • . . 
• ... For The CYCLIST. 

Owing to its extreme compactness the 

PONY PREMO 


CAN BE CARRIED ON YOUR WHEEL 
LIKE A TOOL BAG. 

Jnst think of a complete 4x5 Camera weigh¬ 
ing only 26 ounces, and measuring but 5x6x1^ 
inches when closed. Just the thing for 
a pictorial diary of your wheeling trips. 

Dont delay, b ut send for complete descri ption 
FREE for the asking. 


Rochester Optical Co, 

Drfir.lHl IPQTPP M V 


o 
























































ONLY $2,25 FOR A 

good HI me=piece. 

Sent on receipt of price, and guar¬ 
anteed to reach you in good order, 
by insured mail. 

Philadelphia Daily News says: 
Very few riders will be seen in the 
City without the famous little Levy 
Cyle Clock, which has made a decid¬ 
ed hit. 

LEVY CYCLE CLOCK C0„ 

1817 Ridge Ave., 

Philadelphia, Pa. 



Model C. 


Trenton Cyclometers 

Are the best. Made of aluminum. 

Three models for ’96. Model A re¬ 
gisters 1,000 ihiles and repeats. 
Weight, 2 l-4't>z. Price, $1.00 
Model B registers 10,000 miles and 
repeats Weight. 2 l-4oz. Price, $1.50. 

Model C registers 10.000 miles and 
repeats. Weight, 1 l-4oz. Price, $1,75. 

TRENTON WATCH CO., 

Trenton, N. J. 



‘Three in One’ for BICYCLES, 

The Only Perfect Lubricant for Chain and 
Bearings. Positively Prevents the Nickel and 
Steel Parts from Rusting, Cleans Thoroughly 
and Makes Your Wheel Like New. 

ASK YOUR DEALER FOR IT. 

G. W. COLE & CO., 

Ill Broadway, New York. 


INCUBATOR ON TRIAL. • Catalogue for stamp 

VON CULIN INCUBATOR 00., _ 

-Box A. A. © DELAWARE CITY, DEL. 
















A Horse with poor feet. No Horse. 
A Bicycle with poor tires. 

No Bicycle. 


Spaulding & Pepper Co., 

<^_Chicopee Falls, Mass, 
tire makers__ 

Full Line Single Tube Tires. 

FAST AND DURABLE HOLD ALL RECORDS 

TO 5 MILES. 

THE L. C. SMITH DETACHABLE TIRES 

always ‘ALL RIGHT’ in every way 

Also the W. & P. ARMORED TIRE 

and the celebrated G. & J. TIRES. 

Remember the TIRE is the 
bi cycle 

SEND FOR CATALOGUE. 





321 



































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fHECKMAN 

BINDERY INC. 

^ AUG 91 






N. MANCHESTER, 
INDIANA 46962 



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